The Prophecy
by writeonsha
Summary: A prophecy unfolds... Draco, Hermione, and Harry must join forces to defeat the darkness taking over the wizarding world. Can old feuds be forgiven? Can a boy, who was raised in evil, be saved? RR Rated R just in case! HGDM
1. Heads of Hogwarts

Author's note:  This is my first fic and I hope you like it.  Feel free to review and you can send flames if you must, but please make them as constructive as possible.

Disclaimer:  I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters, places, and events that the lovely J. K. Rowling has entertained us with.

Chapter One:  Heads of Hogwarts

            "Hermione, dear, you need to wake up," said a very disgruntled Mrs. Granger, "Hermione, we are going to Diagon Alley to get your school things today!"

            Mrs. Granger sighed and ran her fingers through her short brown hair and picked up the glass of water her daughter always took to bed.  Suddenly a cunning smirk spread across her face; she had an idea and planned to use it.  Turning back to her still slumbering daughter, she dowsed the girl with her own water to get the desired effect.

            Hermione sputtered and rolled over.  "Whassa matter?" she asked bleary eyed and dripping. Lazy morning lids hid her amber eyes.

            "Hermione Berit Granger, how late did you stay up last night and what were you doing?" questioned a now exasperated but smirking Mrs. Granger.

            A long yawn cut off any possible explanations from her daughter if there were to be any.  The tiredness was short lived because no sooner than the yawn was completed her eyes lit up and sparkled with life.

            "We're going to Flourish and Blotts!" squealed the happy bookworm.

            "Welcome to the land of the living," her mother muttered rolling her hazel eyes.  She left the Hermione's room with a final shake of her head.

            'Yes, yes, yes!' she thought as she danced on her bed, 'Tomorrow school starts!  Wait a minute!  I'm Head Girl!'  She nearly fell off the bed at the thought.

            "Hermione, are you getting ready to go?" her mother shouted down the hall, "I want to stop at a couple of other places before we get your books."

            "Yeah, sure," she shouted back while sliding off the side of her bed.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Grey eyes looked back at him in the mirror.  "You look quite smashing, dreary," the mirror complimented.

            The self-satisfied smirk broadened.  All the rest of the world could do was agree.  Young Master Draco's looks that had once mimicked those of his father now surpassed them by far.  His mother's beautiful genes had finally come into play for her son.

            Finely chiseled cheek bones and a strong chin alone could win a girl's heart, but Draco exceeded even their major standards of handsome.  His molten silver eyes that had learnt to hide all emotion gave him a mysterious and dangerous edged.  Once slicked back silver blonde hair now hung long and loose around his pale face.  Draco had grown over the last couple of years finally reaching an impressive height of 6'4".  Many years of quidditch had given him a toned and solid body.

            Yes, Malfoy looked good, and he knew it.

            "Draco, it's time for your lessons," his father announced from his doorway.

            The feared deatheater, Lucius Malfoy, had decided at the age of eight his son was a pathetic excuse of a Malfoy.  So now, nine years later, he was still trying to perfect the boy to at least acceptable standards.  For the last two years they had began to get tougher, since his father expected the best for Lord Voldemort.

            At first, his father had him studying nonstop for years, just to drill in every dark spell or idea that was ever created.  Yes, there were moments when he would lash out in anger at his son throwing a couple of well-aimed punches or jinxes at him for failing.  But lately, his father was an all out sadist.

            He now had-what Lucius called conditioning-random curses thrown at him, which beat the whole 'fully body bind and being left on the floor for hours' to pieces.  Lucius even expected him to take it without so much as a wince.

            Since Draco had learned all of the curses and potions by heart, Lucius had started throwing questions between curses that had to be answered correctly.  If he didn't answer right he had a curse thrown at him; if he did, he still had a curse thrown at him.  And so another day at the Manor would continue.

            "Yes, father," came his emotionless reply.

            While following Lucius to his study he was left to think.  'Please, remind me why I let this conceited bastard walk all over me?' he asked his conscience half-heartedly.  'Because he would harm mother if you didn't,' was its only reply.

            Ah, yes, Narcissa Black once a happy and lovely student of Hogwarts had all of that taken away by her arranged marriage to Lucius Malfoy.  Now all she had was Draco and was in constant fear of losing him to Lucius's will.

Lucius had no love for the dear woman or their son.  They were just his tickets to certain people in the wizarding world.  He knew that Draco would do anything for his mother, so he used that against his son.  Lucius would torture Narcissa if Draco didn't do as he said, but he knew good and well that if he hit her for any other reasons he would learn of his son's fury through pain.

They arrived at the study, and before Draco could get completely past the fireplace his father hit him.

"Crucio," spat Lucius through gritted teeth.  He showed no emotions for using the forbidden curse on his own son, but like many grown men, Draco did not cry out or fall to the floor in pain

Pulling his wand back Lucius looked at his son in disgust.  "Beat by the mudblood again!  You are such a disgrace to the Malfoy name.  How do you expect to ever be of service to our lord if you can't even beat the filth of the school?"

It seemed he was still angry with him for being beaten by the school's know-it-all mudblood, Granger.  Heck, Draco didn't really like her either.  She always was sticking her nose in things not to be meddled with along with Potter and Weasley.  But that wasn't the reason he hated her so, it was because she beat him and caused his mother to be punished for it.

Draco wasn't really aware that his father's wand had been pointed at him again.  Again, the searing pain ran through every nerve in his body, but again he did not fall or make a noise.

"Lucius, I believe that is enough for today," came Narcissa's voice from the door.  Draco's savior stepped through the door with an elegant stride.  Her silver blonde hair cascaded down her back over her bright turquoise evening gown.  Her greenish blue eyes held no respect for the man before her.

"Good morning, Mother," said a now smiling Draco.  He smiled because she was all he had ever cared for, and she had always cared for him.

Narcissa blessed the cold room with her warm smile.  She knew she would pay when Draco left, but she had to protect him.

"Lucius, with your permission I would like to take Draco to Diagon Alley today," she stated while ignoring the cold look of hatred Lucius was giving her.

Lucius's answer was frigid, "I suppose woman."  He eyed the now retreating form of his son and continued in a displeased and threatening tone.

"Narcissa, I believe that if you want what is best for dear Draco and yourself, you would stop interfering."

Unfazed by the threat outwardly she turned and headed toward the door, but before exiting she turned to him.

"I believe, Lucius, that the least you could do was congratulate him for becoming Head Boy." With that said Narcissa shut the door in the fuming face of her husband.


	2. New Revelations

Chapter Two:  New Revelations

Hermione was sitting on the floor of Flourish and Blotts looking through the bottom shelf of the Potions aisle.  She was looking for _Advanced Potions for the Mind, Body, and Soul _by Grindolynne Luqui.

            She wasn't in the best of moods because her mother had insisted upon taking her to the beauty parlor, babbling about knocking the boys' socks off her final year at Hogwarts.  So she had just endured two hours of a bunch of silly witches picking at her face, nails, and hair.  Her hair went through the full brunt of it all though.  It now hung straight to her waist in a chestnut brown waterfall.  Her fingernails and toenails were perfectly manicured, which was one thing she liked considering they were usually broken from potions work.

            'Oh, where is it already!' the hateful thought came bubbling to the surface of her mind.  The thought was continued out in a small tirade about proper librarianship to herself.

            Suddenly she could sense someone behind her, so she stopped her hateful muttering and turned to face the person who still hadn't said anything to her.  Her furrowed brow creased as her brows went up in surprise.

            When she had turned around she had came face to face-or chest really-to none other than Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince.

            "You do know, Granger, that talking to one's self is the first sign of insanity?  But of course you do know that, because I couldn't imagine Potter's know-it-all girlfriend not to," the boy drawled venomously.

            "For one thing, Malfoy, yes, I have heard that, but do not believe in that nonsense at all.  Secondly, Harry and I are not dating," she started in a cold tone he hadn't heard from her before.

            "Now, now, Granger, don't get your knickers in a knot," he said equally, "I was just quoting rumor."

            He looked her over carefully sizing her up.  Physically she wasn't a match, but he knew her mind was as sharp as a whip and could cut him in half with a small flick of her small wrists.  She was a mere 5'4" with a slim build.  Her dark hair framed her heart shaped face, while vibrant amber eyes shot daggers at him.  'Wait a minute!  Amber eyes?  I've seen those only once before, which means they can't be common…' he thought.

            Hermione watched as his gaze became thoughtful, which worried her to a degree.  But quickly as it had appeared it disappeared.

            "Whatever happened to your bushy hair, Granger?" he said aggravatingly close to the reason she was in such a foul temperament in the first place.

            "Well, it all started with this dratted potion that I accidentally dumped on my head this morning.  It actually just ruined my hair this way, and I can't get it back to normal," she lied sarcastically. 

            A smile tired to curve his lips, but he resisted.  She caught the twitch though, and it really wasn't what she would have expected.

            "Poor thing, I'd just hate for it to stay that way," he declared in mock sympathy.

            Hermione looked at him questioningly, but took in his frame and appearance while she was at it.  She couldn't help the feeling of appreciation she had for his body.

            He quit his musing when he remembered that se was the cause for some of his sufferings at home.  His silver eyes turned cold again.

            "Move out of my way, Granger," he demanded harshly, "Or I'll have to move you."

            Hermione watched his change in awe, not thinking she stepped aside.

            Draco smirked at her.

            'Damn it!  You just listened to him!' she thought furiously with herself.  She watched as he reached up to the top shelf and pulled the book she needed down.

            He turned on his heel and said he'd see her at school, leaving a distressed Hermione behind him.  'How am I ever going to reach the top shelf?' she thought angrily, 'The least he could have done was get me one!'

            She muttered a curse to the air and headed back to the front of the store to the counter to ask for help. 

            There stood her mother holding all the books she needed for her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looking quite happy.

            "How did you get that, Mum?" Hermione asked curiously pointing at the Potions book.  A strange feeling of slight dread filled her mind for an instant.

            "Oh, a lady's son I met last year gave it too me, dear.  Why?" Mrs. Granger babbled innocently.

            Hermione shrugged it off thinking that her mother had met someone while they were shopping.

            Hermione wasn't listening to her mother's nonstop chatter about catching up with old friends, but she was thinking of her encounter with the Malfoy heir.  As soon as her mother put the car in park, she hopped out with all her things shrank to fit in one bag and ran into the house.

            She still didn't understand the sudden transformations she saw in Draco Malfoy, and that worried her for some reason.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          

            Draco didn't listen to his mother's chatter either.  She kept rambling on about an old friend of hers, but he was lost in thoughts of Granger.

            Her eyes kept flashing in his mind.  Those big, probing amber eyes were all he could think about.  But where had he seen them before?  And why couldn't he get her out of his mind?

            Finally he gave up trying to concentrate on his new potions book and decided that he needed to pay his mother's yearbook a visit again.

            He walked up to the third floor where his parents' quarters and study was thinking about seeing Hermione in the bookshop.  Draco had found it completely amusing that she wouldn't be able to reach the required potions book, but had grabbed one down and gave it to her mother, which his mother was talking to at the moment rather excitedly.  He had already had one, but was examining several books on the next aisle when he heard her mumbling grumpily about improper librarianship.  Good grief, was she born in a library?  He never even thought about why his mother was talking so animatedly with a muggle because he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts.

            When Draco reached the study he checked to make sure no one was occupying it, more importantly his father.  Quietly he strolled over to his mother's small desk where a small vase was sitting full of ice blue roses.  He pulled out the drawer that he knew held all of his mother's yearbooks and old school papers.

            He pulled out her graduating year's book that would be filled with notes of luck and encouragement from friends.  He flipped through until he found the seventh years.  

            Oh, yes here are the Gryffonders.  Potter, Black, and Lupin were all in a picture together making faces.  He flipped on to find the Slytherins, and that was where he found the pair of eyes he'd only glanced once before.

            It was a picture of a man with sandy blonde hair and amber eyes.  His name was Richard Granger.  A perfect white smile told that he was completely happy with his life at the time.

            'So little Miss Granger isn't so filthy after all…I wonder if father knows this?'

            He was going to put the book back when he spotted a small folded piece of paper crammed in the back of the drawer in a small crack.  He pulled it out carefully afraid of its aged appearance.  When he opened it, it revealed a lot more about Hermione that he was unsure about.

Cissa,

            I wish you a great future, be it with Lucius or not.  I fear for you, dear.  He doesn't seem to be the sort to sit by idly while we're at the brink of war.  Cissa, I feel a dark aura around the man.  Please be careful and wary of him.

            Richard and I are to be married soon after graduation.  I wish for you to attend as my Maid of Honor, but I sense that this will not be so.  I wish we could keep in touch, but I know it as a false-dream with Lucius.  Good luck!

                                                                        Your friend,

                                                                        Katilynn Siegal

                                                                        A.K.A. Kat

            After reading of this friendship, Draco flipped through until he found Miss Siegal.  But she wasn't where he would have expected.

            There she was in Gryffondor.  She was a small woman with brown hair that was cut like a pixie's.  Her heart shaped face held a fairy like appearance and her hazel eyes were large and warm.  Hermione definitely looked like her mother, but had Richard Granger's eyes.

            It was quite odd…The Gryffondor mudblood wasn't a mudblood after all.  She was quite pureblooded at that.  Her father, though he didn't have a popular name was indeed in Slytherin, so was inevitably pureblooded.  While her mother was of pureblood decent that was as nearly as high as that of the Malfoy clan.

            A small gasp interrupted his thoughts.  He turned to face his mother, who had an odd look of fright in her eyes.  It was a look he never saw from her.

            "What are you doing, Draco?" she asked, her voice was tight.  She stared at the note in his hands with terror.

            He answered without thought, "I saw Granger at Flourish and Blotts today, mother."

            "Yes, dear, I know," she stated her voice still tight.

            "I noticed her eyes for the first time today," he said. Now she knew what he was getting at. He continued as she tensed up, "I've only seen them once before, Mother."

            "Yes, I know dear," she had let him look through her yearbooks only once before.

            "Did you go to their wedding?" he asked softly, though he already had a feeling he knew.

            Her reply was in a trembling voice, " No, I did not.  And before you ask why, it was because your father would not let me.  He made sure I never saw her again.  She knew it."

            "I'm sorry," Draco whispered seeing the pain in his mother's eyes, but he had to ask another question, "How did Katilynn know, mother?"

            "Oh, she was quite a good Seer, dear, though Richard never had the patience with the art," Narcissa said smiling at her memories.

            "Sounds a lot like Granger.  She walked out on Trelawney in a heart beat," he said making her smile.

            "Does she know?" he asked inquisitively.

            "Oh, no.  You-Know-Who was after her family for a while, so they had to go into hiding.  They never could come out because they feared his supporters.  So no she doesn't know a thing," she conceded.

            Suddenly Narcissa started to look slightly uncomfortable, "What's her name, Draco?" she asked quietly.  She was beginning to regret telling her son something that could endanger her friend's family.

            "Hermione, Mum.  Why?"

            "Oh, I've never heard you say it, that's all," she paused for a moment before her next question, "Why don't you get along?"

            "I guess it's because the whole 'Gryffondor versus Slytherin' thing.  Plus, she's beaten me at everything we've done in school, except maybe flying, which strikes up Father's ire.  Then, she is Potter's friend…" Draco replied a list was forming in his mind every second.

            "Alright, alright, Draco," his mother chided.

            He started to leave when she called him back, "Draco, promise me something…please tell no one about Hermione's background.  Especially not your father…" she pleaded.

            "I promise, Mother," Draco said gently and with that he left.

            Narcissa Malfoy sat in the empty room a moment longer.  A shiver slipped up her spine, and it wasn't because the study was cold.


	3. Their Prophecy

 Chapter Three:  Their Prophecy

            "Hermione, dear?" asked a nervous Mr. Granger attentively.  Mrs. Granger stood behind him in their daughter's door.

            "Yes?" Hermione answered looking up from her new schoolbooks.  Se could see the tension on her parents' faces.  Hermione just looked at them in wonder. 'This scene is rather odd,' she thought, 'Looks as if it's serious.'

            "We need to tell you something, poppet," her father started even though it was his wife's idea to tell her tonight in the first place.  She had said something around the lines of feeling like she needed to know before school.

            'I think that was obvious,' her mind said humorously, but instead she said in mock innocence, "It sounds serious, Daddy." The words came too sweetly from Hermione's normally sharp-tongues mouth.  They weren't fooled.

            "Oh, Richard, don't beat around the bush!" scolded Katilynn, "We both know she's too smart for that."

            "Thank you, Mum," their daughter said with a broad grin.

            "Hermione, we were going to tell you on your birthday, but your mother feels that we should tell you now," Richard started smoothly in a tone that made Hermione feel like she was ignorant.

            "Drop it, Richard!" exclaimed Hermione's mother in exasperation, "I'll tell her."

            Richard looked grudgingly at his wife.

            "Oh, come on you two!  I'm not five, you know?" Hermione said getting a little aggravated at their slow pace.

            "Hermione, dear…" Mrs. Granger approached cautiously, while her husband was unconscientiously backing towards the door

            She was starting to get nervous with her parents' continuous fear etched stares.

            "Well…Hermione, your father and I aren't muggles," Mrs. Granger said biting the bullet, while Mr. Granger fled through the door.

            Hermione was shocked.  After all of those taunting she had to go through, after living her life as a muggle, and after growing up in the wizarding world and being treated like a freak, she wasn't a muggle-born.  Hermione felt lied to.  Her life was a lie…she'd lived a lie for sixteen years.

            "Why didn't you tell me?" shrieked the teenage girl in distress, "Am I even your child?"

            "Hermione, we were trying to protect you," cried her distraught mother.

            But Hermione wasn't thinking it through; it was just too much, "Oh, yeah, great plan, Mum.  I get teased and cursed and laughed at for six years before I'm told that I've lived a lie for my whole life!"

            Tears were welling up in Katilynn's large hazel eyes.

            Seeing her mother starting to cry, Hermione took a deep breath of reasoning.  "I'm sorry, Mum.  Why didn't you tell me?" she asked calming down slowly.

            "We had to go into hiding before you was born.  Voldemort had decided that something with our family would effect him greatly, so Dumbeldore sent us into the muggle world to hide."

            "What did he think was so interesting?" Hermione asked inquisitively.  She slid over to sit by her mother.

            "You, dear," was her quiet reply.  She looked at her daughter sadly, hoping that she would understand the next part of her life.

            "Me?  Why me?" she asked nearly regretting the question as it formed on her lips.

            "There was a Prophecy told about you and a boy.  The boy is the son of an old friend of mine," her mother said nervously biting her lip.

            "A friend of yours, Mum?" Hermione asked suddenly having a feeling of dread creep up her back.  She didn't trust the worried look on her mother's face for an instant.

            "Yes, dear…Narcissa Black.  Well, now she's a Malfoy, but I do believe you know her son, Draco?" her mother said without looking at her.  She already knew the answer.

            Hermione felt sick.  'Oh, this so isn't good,' her mind groaned unhappily.  "Yes, I know him mother," she said through clenched teeth, while a torrent of horrid memories flashed through her mind.  She shook her head in disgust before she said, "And who was this genius that Saw this Prophecy?"

            "It was me, Hermione," her mother said quietly.

            The disgust in Hermione's eyes faded quickly into interest.

            "What did it say?" she asked captivated.  Part of her wanted to know, while the rest didn't.

            "The Dark Lord will rise again.  The world's fate lies within two enemies' hearts.  My child shall have wisdom, while yours has the power. They must get over their past and unite for the future.  The man, who defeated darkness once before, shall decide their destiny.  Without them the world will fall dark."

            Hermione's eyes had grown large towards the end.  'Harry's involved!' her brain proclaimed happily, 'At least you're not alone…Wait half a second, did it say hearts?  Oh, no!  I'm supposed to get along with Malfoy, when we can't even breathe the same air without him saying something rude…'

            "Why does it say your?" she asked to keep the silence at bay.

            "Oh, Narcissa was the one that heard me that night," her mother said looking relieved that that was all Hermione was going to say.

            Katilynn Granger ran a hand through her already tousled chestnut hair.  A long, heavy sigh escaped her pursed lips.  "Your father is going to get it; leaving me alone."

            Hermione watched in mild amusement as her father peeped around the doorframe looking guilty.

            "Is the storm over," he asked with a sheepish grin.

            "Oh, Richard!" her mother exclaimed as she grabbed up a pillow and chucked it at him hard.  The pillow hit its mark forcefully. 

            The women laughed at his sputtering guffaw.

            "Goodnight, sweetheart," Mr. Granger said as he pulled his wife up.

            Her mother smiled at her lopsidedly.  She knew it would be a rough one.

            "Goodnight, Daddy…Mum," their daughter replied faking a yawn.  She just wanted to be left alone for a while.

            After they had closed her door and turned out the light, Hermione laid back own her bed with a sigh.  All she wanted to do was think over all of the oddities happening in her recently changed life.

            It was going to be a long night.


	4. Second Encounter

Chapter Four:  Second Encounter

            Hermione jumped out of her parents' car almost as soon as it parked.  Almost unconsciously she started scanning for the unmistakably Weasley hair.  Common sense always prevented her from looking for Harry who blended in.  

            "Hermione!" Mrs. Granger called, "I want to give you something."

            She ran over to her parents, chestnut hair bouncing.  "What is it, Mum?" asked their daughter slightly out of breath.

            Then, her mother pulled out a long leather box that had loopy writing in gold across the top.  Inside was a beautiful black diamond teardrop on a thin silver chain.  Katilynn wrapped her arms around her daughter's neck to put the necklace on.  The long chain caused the sparkling pendant to rest between Hermione's breasts.

            "It is a family heirloom," her mother explained as she adjusted it, "Legend says that it has a partner, and that one day when they are reunited something powerful would happen.  But none ever told who holds its match."

            "Thanks, Mum," Hermione said appreciatively hugging her around the neck.  She then turned to her brightly smiling father and hugged him in turn.

            "Off you go, dear," Mrs. Granger said pointedly, "Have a great year…"

            "I will, Mum," Hermione reassured with a peck on her cheek.

            "Love you, guys," she said, and then their daughter disappeared into the crowded train station, pushing her loaded trolley.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            "Draco, Professor McGonagall said the Heads were to meet her in the front compartment," Blaise Zabini announced from the train compartment door that Draco shared with his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle.  Blaise was tall, dark, and mysterious, like most of the Slytherin boys tended to be.  His dark blue eyes seemed to look into your soul.  You could easily lose sight of him in a crowded room; he just tended to blend in.

            Immediately, Draco stood to leave.  Noticing his two comrades were about to follow, he waved them away with a simple explanation of he could handle himself.  The two returned to their barbaric scuffle over Draco's uneaten pumpkin pastry.

            Blaise rolled his eyes at the two and gave Draco a small smile before disappearing down the train corridor.  They had never been close, but none of the Slytherins were really close as it was.  It probably had to do with the bad reputation of their house and the slight untrusting habit they had adapted at young ages.  Yes, there were a few who didn't grow up in dark families, but they soon found that not trusting anyone in their own house was better than being stabbed in the back with lies and rumors.  No, they weren't the friendliest bunch in Hogwarts.

            As soon as Draco had stepped into the corridor, he was collided with.  Unconsciously he grabbed hold of the small form, which had started to topple over.

            "Pardon, me," he said through gritted teeth.  'Who is this moron?'

            "Thank, you," the girl said as she regained her footing, "But now if you don't mind releasing me, I have somewhere I need to be."

            Draco quickly let his hands drop, as he recognized the domineering tone of the know-it-all Gryffindor.  "My bad, Granger," he muttered moodily.

            With all said and done, he turned around and headed down the train.  He knew he would be seeing her soon enough as it was.  On the way, though, he couldn't help but marvel about how light she had felt.

            Hermione stood on the same spot.  The recent events started to sink in slowly.  Minute horror flew through her head, but was quickly replaced by a new wave of dread.

"It doesn't have anything to do with the Prophecy, Hermione," she chided herself quietly as she rushed on down the corridor to the front.

            "Now that we have both of our Heads," Professor McGonagall said with a smile at Hermione, "I can begin telling you the rules and responsibilities of the positions you hold."

            Hermione slid into the seat opposite of her partner for the year without a glance.

Mrs. McGonagall started her long list of duties that the two would share.  They would have to patrol hallways together Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Also, they were to set an example for the other students in things, such as behavior towards students of different houses.

            She had tuned out the speech the Deputy Headmistress was giving them.  Instead she looked around to the boy she now had to spend a year with.  The sight that met her amber eyes made her happy smile go cold.  Draco Malfoy was laid back in the booth seat of the table they shared.  His frigid silver eyes were on McGonagall.

            'Malfoy?  How the heck is he Head Boy?' her brain questioned reality in disbelief.  Hermione could already tell it was going to be an interesting year.  She found out she wasn't what she thought, her mother foretells a bond between her and one of her worst enemies, and now she was stuck with him for an entire year, how could anything get worse?

            Finishing up her time consuming lecture, McGonagall headed towards the door.  "I'll leave you two to discuss this year," she said with and all to familiar twinkle in her eye.

            Both sat in an intense silence.  Draco watched as Hermione twitched with impatience, while Hermione fought a battle within herself about actually trying to get along with him.

            Finally she broke it.  "Malfoy, I propose a truce to survive this year.  The least we could do was tolerate each other," she proclaimed with an aura of finality.  She leaned forward over the table to listen to his response.

            "Well, Granger, I must point out that I am currently tolerating your annoying presence, so what good would a truce do us?" he said coolly.  Draco watched for her familiar temper.  'Yep, and there it goes.'

            "It figures!  Your stupid, pureblood arse can't take the stress of a challenge.  Do you actually think for one second that I want to spend my time with you?" said Hermione starting a heated tirade.  Oh, how she wished she could smack the arrogant smirk off of his face.  Then, his amusement hit her full in the face.  The bastard was testing her.

            "Quite a temper the Gryffindors have," Draco commented jovially.

            The remark missed that time.  Hermione had caught on to the game he thought he could win and was now ignoring his smart remarks.

            "Like I said, Malfoy, you can't handle a challenge.  And since, you can't you can have the privilege of finding a new route around our inability to cope with one another."

            Her comeback hit home at his stubborn male ego.

            "I can take anything you can, Granger, and a lot more!" he protested without much emotion.

            This too she ignored.  "I would have thought a Deatheater would have at least some guts, but maybe Voldemort has low standards."  Hermione immediately knew she had gone too far.

            Suddenly she was jerked off of her seat.  "Shut the fuck up, Granger.  You know nothing about me.  Understand?" he yelled with a slight shake of Hermione, "Now leave me the hell alone."

            Hermione was the most frightened she had ever been, but at the same time she was confused.  'Malfoy isn't a Deatheater?' she thought bewildered.  Then her conscience started screaming at her full force, 'He's scaring the living fuck out of you, you idiot!  Don't say anything else stupid!'

            Calmly Hermione apologized, "I'm sorry, Malfoy.  I shouldn't have assumed."

            Draco nodded tightly through his anger.

            "Can you please put me down, now?" Hermione appealed quietly.

            He hadn't realized he had picked her up in the first place.  Draco instantly released his white-knuckled grip on her shoulders.  'Why do you let her get to you, fool?  Because she just pushed my buttons,' he answered subconsciously.

            Hermione stood stock-still and speechless.  She was afraid to say anything.

            Draco's face was once again completely passive, as he walked stiffly around her and out of the compartment.

            "Well, that was interesting," Hermione muttered to no one in particular.

A.N.:  Sorry I don't get to upload everyday.  See the thing is I already have Chapters 1 though 15 written; all I have to do is type them out.  But there is a problem with my brain that causes me to want to for some gosh-awful reason I have to revise everything I write.  It's a freaking horrible time consuming task, which takes me forever.  But I hope ya'll do enjoy what I do put out!

Special thanks to my lovely reviewers (sorry I haven't said anything before):

 hg():  Thanks for your constructive criticism

 mystified by nature:  Thanks for your awesome encouragement.

Crystal M. Star:  You helped me get moving again.

DeMiGoD714:  Thanks for being there for me, beau.


	5. Lion's Gold, Serpent's Silver

A.N.:  Tanky, Tanky to my reviewers.  I save you all's reviews.  I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while.  I read chapter 5 over again and I thought, 'Good grief, what was I smoking when I wrote this?'(Honestly I don't smoke anything.  I'm drug and alcohol free.)  So like the idiot I am, I rewrote most of the chapter.  Here it is.  I hope you enjoy.  If not tell me what's wrong with it.  Buh bye.

Chapter Five:  Lion's Gold, Serpent's Silver

Hermione spent the rest of the train ride with Ron and Harry in their usual compartment at the back of the train.  The boys were rambling on happily about their long summer at the Burrow.

            "It was great, Mione!  Mum let us play quidditch in the field and Fred, George, and Ginny played too…Ow, Harry!"  Harry, sensing a nonstop prattle on quidditch, had elbowed his redheaded friend in the ribs.

            They had definitely been well fed!  Both boys were a foot or more taller, though Ron still beat Harry by a deal.  Harry was brown from lengthy afternoons in the hot summer sun, while Ron had gained an enormous amount of freckles.

            Ron hit Harry back and addressed Hermione, "You look great, Mione!"  A blush started creeping up his neckline.

            "Thanks, Ron.  You two don't look half bad yourselves," she said with a brilliant smile.

            The boys wore identical grins.  They too were glad to be with their other friend and to be going home.

            Then, her mind suddenly spurred to life.  'Remember the Prophecy,' it hissed it's reminder with exasperation.

            As soon as the thought came, her smile fell into seriousness.

            "I need to tell you guys something," she said quietly as if someone was going to hear.

            "What is it?" Harry asked concern swarming within his emerald eyes.

            "I'm a pureblood, and my mother had a Prophecy pertaining me and two other people," spurted out of her lips quickly without a pause.  A meek look took over the usually strong Hermione.

            "Wha?" questioned Ron, while Harry watched her quietly.

            "Whom all did it pertain to, Mione?" Harry asked moving to sit closer to her.

            "You, Malfoy, and I," she whispered.  Hermione was afraid how they would react to that information and the fact that she wasn't what they always believed her to be.

            Harry reached over and pulled her into a brotherly embrace.  He knew how it felt to be apart of something you didn't want to be and what you didn't know you were.  Ron soon joined them in the supportive hug between best friends.

            After they had comforted and reassured Hermione, they sat there in their own thoughts.  There was a lot to think about.  She had told them the Prophecy, and Ron had snorted doubtfully at when she told of Draco being involved with the destruction of the Dark Lord.  It seemed neither of the boys had thought of her and Malfoy having to be together as an issue, or they just hadn't noticed the exact wording.

            As the train lurched to a halt, the three started down the corridor with their respective animals.  Crookshanks hissed moodily at the small owl, Pigwidgeon, who was twittering like mad and jumping around his cage like he was a ping-pong ball.

            The station in Hogsmeade was its usual jumble of Hogwarts students on their first day back.  Second year and up were all hurrying to catch the carriages.  The tiny first years were milling around in excitement, horror, and confusion.

            Suddenly behind them they heard, "Firs' years!  This way!"

            Hagrid was performing his yearly ritual of gathering the new students.  As usual, the youth walked warily towards the huge man.  Some looked terrified, but others were awed by his half giant size.

            Hermione, Harry, and Ron weren't fooled.  Though the man was half giant, he was no more evil or harmful than a bag of butterflies.  The three weaved through the crowd to their friend shouting their hellos.

            "'Ello, there 'Arry, Ron, 'Mione.  Have good summers?" Hagrid asked happily before shouting, "First years, follow me!"

            They all nodded as one and Hermione told him they'd see him at the feast.  Then, they went to catch one of the remaining carriages.

            The three rode in silence for a while.  But it seemed Ron was still in a huff about Malfoy being involved in the Prophecy.

            "How can that rotten ferret even think about tickling You-Know-Who's pinky toe, while he's a deatheater?" Ron exclaimed when he had reached bursting point.

            "One, Ron, he's not a deatheater, and two, he doesn't even know about it!" Hermione stated the facts out of exasperation.

            Harry looked at her in slight disapproval because she hadn't told Draco, but the feeling was mixed to where he was glad that she hadn't endangered herself. 

            "What do you mean he's not a deatheater?" Ron snarled angrily at her hidden challenge.  They always argued, but the funny thing was he never won.

            "He told me he isn't," she said lamely.

            "Oh, okay, let's believe one of our worst enemies was actually telling the truth!" he exclaimed in what he thought was triumph.

            "I think he was," Hermione said quietly.

            "Have you gone absolutely nutters, Mione?" Ron asked indignantly.

            Then, Harry intervened, "Shut up, Ron, and let's hear her out."  He turned towards he waiting.

            Hermione fidgeted for a moment before answering, "Well, I popped off at him after our meeting, and it appeared to have ticked him off a bit."

            Ron's face faded from anger into mild surprise and back again to anger.  "Did he hurt you?" he asked through clenched teeth.

            "No, Ron" she replied calmly.

            He looked relieved but there was a slight hint of disappointment on his face.  She knew it was because he didn't have any reasons to try and hurt Malfoy, yet.

            Draco spent the rest of the train ride cooling down.  He still wasn't sure how she knew exactly what not to say, but said it anyway.

            He got off the train with Crabbe and Goyle and found a carriage for the three of them.  Crabbe had a large welt on one cheek were Goyle had obviously hit him over the pastry.  Suddenly, a head popped into the door.

            "There you are!" Pansy Parkinson exclaimed with a grin, "I've been looking for you guys everywhere."

            Draco was immensely pleased to see his best friend.  He now had someone with an IQ over twenty-five to talk to.

            Pansy hopped into their carriage still beaming.  Before she had sat down, she had hugged all three in turn and asked of their summers.

            Goyle and Crabbe both grunted a simple good, and Draco sat silently watching her with amusement.

            "Now, Dray-darling, whatever could be eating you?" she asked through a large pile of sarcasm.

            "Nothing, Pans," was his only remark.

            "Don't you lie to me, Draco Malfoy!" Pansy shrieked in fake outrage.  She fell beside him in the seat, when the carriage started moving.  With a small huff she straightened herself out and sat down before continuing, "Is he at it again?" she probed expertly.

            He knew quite well who she meant by 'he'.  "Yes, he's still trying, and I'm running out of excuses."

            "Oh," that seemed to have shut up his talkative, female friend.  She looked out the window in silent thought.

            The short ride up to the castle ended quickly.  The small carriage grounded to a complete stop, and the three boys and the girl hopped out of the carriage in turn.  They were finally home, somewhere sadistic parents and crazy men with wands could no longer reach.  Hogwarts was their safety zone.

            "Mr. Malfoy, I'd hate to separate you from your pleasant company, but the Headmaster has requested that I show the new Heads to their residences," Professor Snape conversed almost sarcastically.

            Draco looked back to wave off his friends, but upon turning he realized Crabbe and Goyle had already lumbered off -eager to fill their pit sized stomachs- and Pansy remained behind.  He nodded her off silently, and she threw him a small smile before hurrying through the large wooden doors.

            "Ms. Granger, please follow me.  I will be showing you to your dormitories," came Snape's cool voice purred behind him.

            He caught sight of the Golden Trio as he turned his head.  Hermione was slightly in the lead.  She appeared to be talking over her shoulder at them animatedly.  When she reached the stone steps, she waved her friends off much like he had.

            Without a single word, the Potion's Master turned on his heel in his aloof manner and strode off into the school.  The two students couldn't do anything but follow.  He couldn't help but think of whether or not Dumbledore had lost his mind.  Surely, he knew that the two couldn't breath the same air without so much as cursing one another into dust.

            Draco and followed the man's quick gaits easily, but Hermione was lagging behind.  She had to practically jog to keep up with the men's longer strides.

            "Great git!  Why can't he walk like a normal person?" Hermione cursed the greasy-haired man under her breath.

            Snape had led them up to the fifth floor without so much as a pause.  His brisk pace had left the smaller female behind.  Truthfully, that amused the man to some extent.  He stopped sharply in front of a large portrait and turned to Draco.

            "Wherever has Miss Granger gone?" he asked with a smirk.

            Draco smirked back at the unhindered humor his professor was showing.  Suddenly, Hermione came into view.

            She charged around the corner puffing hard and clasping a stitch in her side.  The girl had just run up the last flight of stairs to catch up with two of her least favorite people.  She wasn't in the best of moods.

            "So nice of you to join us, Ms. Granger," Snape drawled in distaste, then he turned to the picture, "This is entrance to your new dwellings.  Lia and David were the first Hogwarts Heads, and they will answer any questions you may ask.  Oh, and I may add that there are tapestries of each of the house crests.  These are shortcuts to each respective house.  These are for your use only," he said giving Hermione a significant glance.

            "The Sorting and feast are now over, and you shall eat in your common room.  Choose a password and enter.  Good evening."  And with all said and announced, he left them in a swirl of air from his billowing robes.

            The Heads of Hogwarts turned to the first Heads.  The two obviously were a couple.  David's arms were wrapped protectively around Lia's waist.  The couple looked at them speculatively.  Lia wore a knowing smile, while David looked amused with the hateful looks they threw at each other systematically.  Lia was a prime example of classic beauty.  Curly blonde hair, creamy skin, and amethyst eyes made her a beauty in her time.  She looked fondly at her boyfriend in obvious happiness.  David wasn't bad looking either.  His dark brown hair and serious hazel eyes only enhanced his defined features and dark tan.

            "Welcome to the Head dorms," ventured Lia breaking the stubborn silence.  She sat forward in her seat gracefully.

            "Hello, my name is Hermione Granger, and this is Draco Malfoy," Hermione said indicating herself and Draco.

            Draco rolled his eyes at the unnecessary formality.

            "What do you want the password to be?"  David asked with a smile.

            "How about 'twitchy ferret'?"

            Draco came back icily, "Why not 'Potty and Weasel'?"

            The ancient couple watched the couple with genuine pleasure.  Lia crumpled up in a fit of giggles, while David smiled in understanding.

            "Now, now.  Why don't you to just use our old password?"  David asked intervening smoothly.  Lia sat beside him trying to stifle her smile, but only succeeded in tearing up and laughing harder.

            "What's so funny?"  Draco asked slightly taken aback by the girl's sudden laughter.  He was afraid she might have something wrong with her.

            "Ya'll are just like we used to be, that's all.  I didn't realize how stupid we looked until now," Lia puffed between breaths.

            "What changed you two?"  Hermione asked in hurriedly before Draco could retort smartly.  She wasn't in the mood to be locked out of her room all night.

            "Things happen in funny ways," answered David almost secretively.  He squeezed Lia's hand gently.

            "I'd like to hear the story sometime," she said ready to learn something new.

            "Okay, anytime you want to drop out and have a chat you're welcome to."

            "Are you three done already?  I'd really like to see the place I'm having to share with _her_ all year," cut in Draco's cold voice without a care.

            "Oh, yes, the password is 'Lion's Gold, Serpent's Silver.'  Hermione's room is to the left, and Draco's is to the right," David answered quickly, as if he knew how the boy felt.  The portrait swung forward at his words.

            Hermione held her breath.  He was such a jerk, sometimes!  Well, actually, all of the time.  Draco Malfoy couldn't hold a civil conversation with the wall or a picture!  She didn't understand why he thought everything was lower than he. 

            Still in a huff, Hermione followed Draco into the hole in the wall.  Almost as soon as she walked out of the hole, she ran smack dab into the silver haired boy.

            For once, he didn't say anything foul or witty, but it wasn't long until she found out why.  Peeking around his tall frame, she saw the amazing common room she was going to live in for the whole year.

            "Now I know why I worked so hard," Hermione muttered under her breath as she looked admiringly around the small room.

            Draco just nodded in unusual agreement.

            The walls were the usual Hogwarts stone, but they were covered in areas with large tapestries of the houses' coat of arms.  A large bookshelf ran down one wall, filled with many books on anything that someone might be interested in.  A large glass and metal desk sat in front of it, with overstuffed leather chairs.  On top sat an elegantly shaped quill holder, surrounded by many multicolored inkbottles.  The desk had clear drawers on either side holding several filing folders and assortments of parchment and other useful items.  A finely carved mantel stood over the small fireplace.  The carvings were of the assorted house animals, which all appeared lifelike.  A large portrait of the two students hung above the merrily crackling flames.  In front of the fires place was a large glass coffee table framed by a black leather loveseat and couch.  The table sat on top of a large black fur rug.

            In a small alcove was a large pile of cushions and pillows made out into a pallet.  The alcove was shaped by two curving staircases on either side. The many colorful pillows were in front of a large bay window looking out over the crystalline lake.  She could just see the giant squid floating lazily across its calm surface.

            But the best part of all was the ceilings.  Just like the Great Hall's ceiling, the common room had a perfect view of the night sky.  The stars looked down on them with an unknown, twinkling knowledge.  A bright comet shot across the star spangled darkness.

            Almost as one, Draco and Hermione glanced at each other and darted up the separate staircases to their bedrooms.

            Hermione burst through her door in pure excitement and suspense.  A satisfied smile curved her lips at her décor.

            Instead of Gryffindor red, her room had clover green and gold motif; her favorite colors.  The bedroom's ceiling was bewitched, also.  Long, silver, wispy canopy hung over her large bed.  Her blanket was black, but the sheets underneath it were green, while the pillows were gold.  The thick, so she would be warm during the late fall and winter months.  The bed itself sat on top of a large fuzzy black rug.

            All the furniture was ebony.  She had a wardrobe with a full-length mirror for the front -that she knew was already full of her robes- and a large dresser that had a big, circular mirror above it.

            The one window in her room looked out over the school grounds to the peaceful mountains beyond.  Like the common room, her window had a small pallet in front of the window for reading.  Close by was a door that she unconsciously labeled the bathroom.

            A short piece of parchment caught her eye on the nightstand.  The scrawl was neat and in an emerald green ink.  It read:

            I hope the accommodations are to your liking.  I put a rather convenient spell on your rooms, so no one can enter lest invited.  It's really quite like the vampire's curse.

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                        Albus Dumbledore

                                                                        Headmaster of Hogwarts

            Draco looked around his room with his usual self-satisfied smirk.  It was perfect.  Where Hermione's room was green and gold, Draco's was blue and silver.  The dark furniture was perfect for his usual dark atmosphere.

            Instead of the pallet that Hermione had, he had a large wing backed chair.  His window looked out over the Forbidden Forest and out to the distant frosty mountains.

            He found the note and scanned it quickly.  A small genuine smile curved his lips, he couldn't help but see the twinkle in the wise man's eyes.

            Though in separate rooms, they both thought, "It's perfect."


	6. Disturbing Dreams and Possibilities

Chapter Six:  Disturbing Dreams and Possibilities

            Draco turned and walked out of his room, a smile was on his lips that he wasn't able to hide.

            "You should do that more often," came a voice from the loveseat.  Hermione sat curled up, reading a large book in her lap.  She didn't look up from the tome resting in her lap.

            "Do what?" he asked sitting down and taking a loaded plate that had just appeared on the table.  Draco wasn't about to let his good mood be floundered, so he decided to play nice for a while.

            "Smile," Hermione said still reading, though a frown creased her forehead.

            He glanced up at her from his plate.  He wasn't really used to this side of Granger.

            "Since when have you noticed that?" he asked curiously.

            "Truthfully, just now.  I haven't seen anything on that face of yours except that annoying smirk I tend to want to slap off.  Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."  And with that, she stood up and left.

            He listened to her trod up the stone steps and pull door closed with a soft snap.

            Draco stood up and stretched languorously.  It was time to inspect the rest of the residence, mainly the bathroom.

            As he walked back to his room, he couldn't get Hermione out of his mind.  'Merlin, why can't I get her out of my mind?' he thought in frustration, only to have his conscience reply, 'She knows how to get to you is why.  Not many can, but she does without really trying.  She's no more than a mere enigma to you.'

            "Well, that's no help," Draco muttered to himself in aggravation.

            He crossed his room quickly and tried the other door hurriedly.  He needed something to get her off his mind, fast.

            The bathing chambers were amazing.  Scarlet and green, checkered tile spread out at his feet.  The walls were black with silver and gold lining around the edges.  A large bathtub was set into the floor.  It, like the Prefects' tub, had the many taps all around for the many different scents and bubbles.  A glass shower chamber was in the far corner, he could just make out what looked like a bunch of silver buttons along one wall.  The commode itself had its own small alcove, with a silver and gold speckled curtain in front of it.  Close by was the large sink on black marble with gold and silver swirls over its surface.  The sink had two drawers on each side to hold the students toiletry items.  A large mirror reflected his weary form.

            He then saw the vanity; it was behind him.  The vanity was small and all the contents on top were neatly organized.

            "You need some rest, dear," the mirror kindly stated the obvious, "Oh, there is a note!"

            Stuck to a corner was a note with Dumbledore's neat and precise writing, but underneath that was another message written in a neat, loopy hand in silver.

Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger:

            I have placed a privacy charm on your shared bathroom.  (That's when he noticed that oddly there were no other doors.)  So, like your bedrooms, no one can enter lest invited.  (Draco could again see the familiar twinkle in the old wizard's pale blue eyes.)

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                            Albus Dumbledore

                                                            Headmaster of Hogwarts

Malfoy,

            I have dibs on this vanity.  Knowing how vain you are, I conjured up a mirror for you.  It is in the top drawer.

                                                            Yours,

                                                            Hermione Granger

            'Vain am I?'  Draco thought but gave in to his curiosity anyway.  He pulled open the drawer and found a perfectly normal mirror, or so he thought.

            He turned it over in his hands, marveling at its simplicity and beauty of its design.

            On the back of the reflective surface was on elegantly carved dragon.  Every scale was shaped with intricate precision from silver, all except for the brilliant emerald eyes.  Underneath the dragon was his name in gold cursive.

            "Bloody hell, Granger.  Where did you learn to do this?" he asked the air alone.

            When he turned the mirror back over, he about dropped it.  Where his face should have been was Hermione's.

            "Hello, Malfoy," she said smiling.  The amusement was clear in her eyes.

            "To hell with greeting, Granger!  How did you do it?"

            "Oh, Advanced Book of Spells, Chapter 27.  Mirror connection was made when you said my name," Hermione answered wearing a smirk worthy of a Malfoy, "I thought they'd come in handy during our duties."

            "Damn it, Granger.  That book wasn't assigned until this year!"  Draco exclaimed in awe and disbelief.

            "Point is?" she asked matter of factly, "Anyway, the spell that is on the bathroom works only if the other person's closed their door while they're in the room.  So, when you are in the bathroom, my door disappears.  Understand?"

            "I'm not one of your dumb ass friends, Granger.  Yes, I understand," Draco spat foully, "Now, how do you turn this thing off?"

            "Oh, how silly of me!"  Hermione said acting innocent.  Draco wasn't fooled.

            "Just answer me, Granger."

            "Just rub your thumb across your name," she said almost sounding disgusted with his ignorance.

            "Go to sleep, Malfoy.  You look like shit," she said with a smile, "Goodnight."  And with that, Hermione's face faded out and was replaced with his own again.

            Draco rubbed his face vigorously with his hands and then shook his head hard.

            'Gods, she's so annoying.  Now I can't even so much as curse her under my breath without her hearing.  She's probably planned it that way…' he thought stubbornly.

            'You could always throw it away, you know?' his conscience reminded him unfairly.

            Truthfully, Draco knew she had a point with the using them for their duties, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

  With a couple of quick jerks, he took off his clothes.  A sigh escaped his lips as he sank down onto his bed.  He was nearly asleep before his head hit his pillow.

            Hermione had a harder time falling asleep.

Her mind swarmed with thoughts about Draco Malfoy.  'He's so cold, but when he smiles it's as if he's another person.  Why does he hide his emotions, and why isn't he a deatheater?'

            Eventually Hermione fell into a fretful sleep.

            She was running through trees.  It was a dark and crescent-mooned night.  The moon's pale rays lit up the forest occasionally, but was only hid by clouds again soon after.

_            But Hermione wasn't alone.  Her hand was held firmly by a tall, dark figure, who was nearly dragging her along through the ominous foliage._

_            They crashed through the underbrush nosily, but with no lengthy pauses.  The figure seemed as though he was frightened for both of their lives, and he kept tugging Hermione's arm with labored breaths._

_            "Stupefy!" a man's voice screamed some where around them.  A bright red ball of magical energy hit a large tree to Hermione's right._

_            She stumbled but was quickly pulled back up by her companion._

_            "Keep running, Hermione!"  he shouted over another crackling spell that whizzed overhead._

_            His voice filled her with another burst of energy.  They hurtled a bulky fallen tree in the screaming adrenaline rush coursing through their veins.  Her legs were tiring, but her comrade showed no signs of fatigue._

_            "Fortis casus!" anther voice screeched in a high voice.  The burning orange spell hit the log, splintering it to pieces._

_            "Fool!  Don't kill them, just stop them!" a commanding voice rebuked harshly._

_            Hermione didn't want to know why they only wanted to disarm the fleeing pair.  She didn't care much to find out._

_            "Rictusempra!"_

_            The only person that seemed to be on her side was knocked off his feet hard.  His body hurtled into a tree ten feet from her._

_            Hermione slowed to aide him.  She checked and found his leg to be broken.  It was twisted in an unnatural angle._

_            He pushed her off of him forcefully.  "Run, Hermione!  They can't get you!" he said waving her on.  His face was ghost white from the pain.  "Go, now!"_

_            Hermione cast him a fleeting glance before turning on her heel and running as fast as her tired legs would carry her.  She could hear the noises of other people approaching fast.  All she could do was hope he was okay and run faster._

_            Her feet snagged on tree roots that seemed as if they were rising up just to trip her._

_            As she ran, she recognized the feeling of a great loss.  There was something about her only help._

_            Her unprepared flight took her deeper into the dark forest.  The humid air felt thick to her heaving lungs._

_            She suddenly collided with something that hadn't been there a second before._

_            "Well, well what do we have here?" an icy voice asked maliciously._

_            She fell to the ground in a startled heap.  Invisible binds twisted around her arms, wrists, and feet.  Hermione let out a piercing shriek, hoping for some help.  But she knew it was hopeless.  She struggled with her binds, twisting frantically hoping to free herself._

_            "Now, mudblood, why do you fight so hard?" the malevolent man asked cruelly.  She then recognized him as none other than Lucius Malfoy._

_            Another scream erupted from her lungs.  She couldn't help it; the long, frightening chase couldn't have ended any worse._

Draco jerked out of his dreamless sleep at the sound of a piercing scream.  Instinct sent him hurdling down his stairs and up Hermione's in an instant.  He wasn't even aware whether it was genuine concern or saving his own skin that was the reason he was there then.

            "Granger, are you okay?" he said beating on her door with a clenched fist.  'Damn it, what is she doing?'

            He grabbed the doorknob and twisted vigorously.  Draco wasn't met with the suspected click, but an electrical shock jerked his arm painfully.

            Draco started to beat the stalwart door again, but as soon as his fist rose to hit it again, the door swung open as if it had gave in.

            Hermione stood in it looking disheveled and surprised, but the look didn't last long.

            "Sorry to have disturbed you, Malfoy.  I hope I didn't wreck to much havoc on your beauty sleep."

            'There she goes again with her witty comments.  What the hell is she wearing?'  Draco thought testily.

            Like Draco, Hermione had gotten up in a rush in what she had went to sleep in.  She just happened to be wearing silky, blue pajama pants with a tight, white tank top.

            Hermione's eyes widened slightly at what Draco was wearing, or more suitably not wearing.  He was just standing in her doorway with black boxers on.

            He watched her eyes change ever so slightly.  He smirked self-assuredly.

            "So what caused that abnormal, feminine scream to leave you, Granger?  The Weasel finally recognize you as female?" he asked tauntingly.

            A faint blush touched Hermione's cheeks, but disappeared when anger flared stronger.  "No, Malfoy," she snapped coldly, "I suppose I ought to tell you since you did come to my _rescue_."

            Draco could nearly hear the drips of sarcasm hit the floor.

            "Well, spit it out, woman.  I haven't got all night."

            "I had a strange nightmare.  Now, if you don't mind, I'm going back to bed."

            "Sure, Granger," he said nodding, "Goodnight."

            Hermione turned around and shut the door.  She figured he hadn't come for her skin but his own, but she knew she should have been nicer with him coming period.

            'He could have put some clothes on!' she thought disconcerted, but her conscience like Malfoy's loved to contradict people, 'Oh, but you didn't mind it too much, now did you?' it asked cynically.  She shook the thought loose forcefully.

            Hermione thought back to all of the awful things he'd done to her and her friends and all of the names he'd called her since first year.

            'Wait a minute!  Names…Malfoy hasn't called me a mudblood, yet.  He used to at least three times every time he saw me…'

            Hermione's large amber eyes flashed with the horrible possibility that was forming in her head.


	7. Interesting Knowledge

A/N:  Howdy doody!  I'm trying to update more often, now that it's the end of school and finals are almost over.  I hope you enjoyed chappies 6 and enjoy this one.  If any updates are delayed it is because I had my wisdom teeth pulled, and I am currently recuperating.

Nelly22:  Hey!  I swear the cliffie was entirely accidental!  But, hey, it's in a good place right?  Thanks for the tip on turning my anonymous review block off.  I have my moments…but I've been a little bit downcast about my number of reviews, hopefully this will up 'em a bit!  Not that I don't enjoy the one's I do get as it is…But, ya know, my very first review was anonymous and it wasn't that nice, so I was kinda upset with posting my story on here period.  Now, I know I have people like you to keep me goin'.  Thanks!

Without further ado, Chapter Seven…

Chapter Seven:  Interesting Knowledge

            Draco woke up with a small start as his alarm clock started screaming at him at 5:30a.m.  He stretched out and rolled over and off his bed with a practiced grace.

            'Merlin, I feel like I've been beaten with a broom!" he thought as he walked to the bathroom door drowsily.

            Draco slid into a hot shower with ease.  The steamy vapor woke him up, and started his brain up in no time.  Almost instantly, Hermione became the topic of his thought processes of the morning.

            He still didn't know why she irked him so, nor did he know whether she knew about her bloodline or not.  'And what the hell was last night about?' his conscience popped in annoyingly.

            Draco ignored the nagging voice and started inspecting the buttons on the shower wall.  From his closer prospective he could see words engraved finely across each.  They all had to do with different scents, such as strawberry, Phoenix, vanilla, et cetera.  He pushed one labeled Kilo without a thought; he just hoped it wasn't something a girl would wear. 

            A small stand appeared magically in front of him, underneath the shower's head.  It held a small black bottle with a green cap.  The contents smelt like a warm mixture of spices and nature.  He quickly washed his hair and body, nearly on automatic pilot.

            Draco stepped out of the steamy chamber with a simple grace.  He wrapped a black towel -that had magically appeared on the rack- around his pale waist.

            He strode to the sink to go through his early morning rituals.

            After wiping the foggy mirror clear, he could see his slight build still dripping with water.  He ran a hand through his damp, silvery hair.

            Draco started brushing his teeth.  But suddenly he wasn't alone in the reflection of the mirror.

            Hermione too woke up at 5:30 she just laid in bed getting her thoughts organized.  She stared up at the sparkling heavenly bodies that still hung in the sky.  They look so peaceful and simple.  Why couldn't her life be like that?  Instead, hers was complicated, confusing, and still messed up.

            Her thoughts soon drifted to the Head Boy.  'Does he know about my parents and the Prophecy?' she asked herself in uncertainty.

            'You seem to think he does know about your parents, at least,' her conscience commented idly.

            'Yes, but I do have some reason to…He hasn't called me a mudblood, yet,' she retorted back ignoring the scoff her she received in reply.

            Hermione stood up deciding a bath was what she needed to calm her nerves.  She pulled her clothes off down to her underwear and grabbed a clean outfit from her dresser. 

A quick glance in the mirror revealed the lithe and curvaceous form of a young woman.  Her generous breasts were held firmly by a dark green bra, and the matching boy cut panties hugged her hips.  Freckles lightly dusted her slender body.  Her hair hung in tousled waves down her back and over her shoulders.

Hermione shrugged; she saw nothing special in her reflection.

The door was still there, so Hermione figured that either Malfoy wasn't up or he had already taken a shower.  Boy, was she wrong…  The sight that she came to made her mouth go slack.

Draco Malfoy was standing in front of the large mirror over the sink brushing his teeth.  But that wasn't the problem.  He was also completely naked except for a dark towel tied around his waist.

She watched every muscle in his back move with his arm.  His chiseled but lean body was the exact creation of Greek art.  His pale body moved seamlessly and with a grace most males couldn't master.  His silvery blonde hair hung damp around his neck.

Hermione forgot completely about the current state of undress she was in.  All she could do was marvel at the exquisite being in front of her.

He hadn't even noticed the girl's intrusion, yet.

Her brain automatically hooked his open door to the reason she was currently standing in the same room as this naked male.  She couldn't be anything but grateful.

Suddenly, silver eyes met amber ones.  He had seen her in the mirror.

Hermione just stood where she was still entranced by the one person she could curse without a second thought.  Her brain just wouldn't connect the body with the evil mind.

            Draco finished brushing his teeth languorously.  Finishing, he spat the foamy white paste from his mouth and took a swig of water to rinse his mouth.  He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand before turning around to her.

            The sight of her set him back.  He hadn't looked at her body, when he realized she was in the bathroom in her, but he looked at her face.  The beauty before him was startling.  He had convinced his mind that she wasn't worth looking at or speaking to, but now part of him started to disagree.

            He smirked as he caught the look in the young woman's eyes.  Was it curiosity or pure lust?  Draco couldn't tell, at the moment, nor did he care.

            The woman held a hidden beauty that she didn't even claim.  Her full breast heaved with each breath she took.  His eyes traveled on down her pleasing form.  Wide hips were wrapped in a most interesting pair of green panties.  Her shapely legs entranced him further.

            Draco started walking towards Hermione with a smooth motion.  His brain wasn't functioning right; he couldn't stop his legs from their purposeful movement.

            Hermione watched him approaching her with wide eyes.  Panic signals started flashing through her; her brain turned to action quickly.

            'This is Draco Malfoy,' it told her quickly, 'your long time nemesis.  Just turn away and run.  Don't say anything at all.'

            She could see each individual bead of water running slowly down his toned chest.  Her pink tongue darted out moistening her lips.

            "It's not nice to walk in on people, Granger," Draco whispered almost huskily to her.

            "You left your door open, Dra-Malfoy, so it's mostly your fault…" Hermione squeaked softly.  'Shut up, you moron!' her brain fired off angrily.

            He ran his hands slowly up her arms to her shoulders.  The rough calluses on his hands contrasted electrically with the smoothness of her skin.  "Thanks for pointing out the obvious," he purred closer to her earlobe.

            "No problem," she said, her voice coming high.  And before he knew what had happened she slipped out of his grasp and ran out of the bathroom full speed.

            Her bedroom door slammed closed and he could her a dull thud come from the door as something hit it.

            Draco shook his head in confusion.  What the hell was he doing?  And who was that delicious creature he had just encountered?  It couldn't have been Granger at all…

            'Did she about say my name?' he asked himself uncertainly.  She had never so much as called him by his last name without a cruel, hate-filled hiss, so to nearly call him by his first name was irregular and surprising.

            He left the bathroom confused and with an uncomfortable stride.

            Hermione slammed her door as if something worse than Fluffy was after her.  Her heart beat a dangerous tattoo in her chest.  She leaned heavily on her door to catch her breath.

            'What was I thinking?  What was he thinking?  What was he going to do?' her mind kept screaming determinedly for an answer she knew she didn't have.

            The spell hadn't made her door disappear, so she had walked in.  It was his fault…He hadn't closed his door.

            The stubborn Gryffindor pride settled back into her heart.  She wanted her bath this morning.  Hermione peeked out her door cautiously.

            The room was empty.  Gloriously empty…  She shut her door carefully behind her.

            Hermione shed her underwear quickly and started to fill the two-person tub.  She slid in the hot water with a small shriek and started turning a couple of the taps around the edges.  The tub was quickly filled with a coconut and lime scented oil.  Large bubbles poured slowly from another.  She slid deeper into her bath.  All stress seemed to melt away.  Hermione washed her long locks with a coconut-scented shampoo and hopped out of her steaming pool.

            She wrapped a large black towel around her torso, before padding delicately over to her claimed vanity.  She flopped heavily into the small chair in front of it without grace.

            Her hair hung in damp curls down her back.  She heaved a small sigh of contempt of her reflection.  It never would be right, in her perfectionist eyes.

            Hermione used a quick spell to dry her long hair.  She was so thankful that after this year she would never have to use a muggle dryer again.  A quick application of mascara was all she put on her face.  What did it matter?  To her no one ever noticed or looked even.

            Without much care, she slid into black panties and a matching bra.  She pulled the clover green, racer-backed tank over her dark head, and tugged a pair of light blue jeans over her hips.

            Maybe the boys would comment on her choice of shirt color, but she didn't really care anymore.  It was her favorite color after all!  In her younger years, she wouldn't wear anything green for fear of her friends' and housemates' reaction to the enemy's colors.  But that didn't matter any more, did it?  She didn't even live in the Gryffindor commons anymore, so she didn't really care.

            After slipping her socked feet into a pair of Birkenstocks, she left the bathroom in a sluggish mood.  She just didn't feel like putting up with anything for the day.

            Trying to cheer herself before breakfast, she hummed a little tune to herself, while dancing down her staircase.  She skipped to the portrait hole in an improving mood.

            But before she could open the door, all hopes of a good morning drained away.  "Won't you fellow _Gryffindors_ disown you, Granger?"  came a cool voice from the couch.

            Hermione turned to see Draco lying stretched out across his claimed couch in a well fitting black shirt and whitewashed jeans.  His arms propped his head up against the armrest.  He was looking at her with a weird glint in his cold silver eyes.

            "Sod off, Malfoy," she spat uneasily.  Unknown to even herself, she was still a bit giddy about their earlier bathroom encounter.

            "Running out of comebacks, Granger?" he asked with a mocking laughter in his eyes, "Or has your sharp tongue finally been detached?"

            "Neither, I simply don't feel like wasting my time in your presence any longer than necessary."

            "Fine by me," Draco retorted, "So long as your filthy friends don't follow you in here like they do everywhere else you go."

            "Shut up, Malfoy!  They don't follow me anywhere.  And even if they did, at least I have someone that wants to be in my company."  And with that, she spun on here heel and slammed a startled couple behind her.

            "Now there's the Granger I understand," Draco muttered to the air with his arrogant smirk.

            Outside the common room, Hermione was fuming.  'That stupid git does it on purpose!  He just pushes me for fun,' she grumbled inwardly.

            'At least he hasn't called you a mudblood, right?'  her conscience prodded knowing that it was just making things worse.

            Finally, she came to a decision…She was going to ask him.

            "Here goes nothing," she muttered foully to the hallway.

            Draco was still lying on the couch, when he heard the portrait being flung aside forcefully again and hitting the outside wall with a loud smack.  He lay there pretending he was interested in the ceiling; all the while, he was listening to the girl.

            He heard her let out a deep breath before saying, "Malfoy, why haven't you called me a mudblood this year?"

            His body froze.  'What a clever witch!  She knows I know.'  He could tell because of the confident knowing ring she held when answering questions in class.

            "It hasn't been a year," Draco stalled lamely, "So sorry I had to disappoint you.  I still have time."

            "Quit avoiding the question, you prat!  Just answer it so I can leave."

            He watched her features carefully.  "Because it would be a lie," he answered with a shrug to make her think it was nothing.  He watched her countenance pale faintly.

            "Who told you?" she asked quietly as if the walls had ears.

            "My mother," was his flat reply.  But her next question surprised him.

            "So you know about the Prophecy, then?" she asked sounding almost hopeful.

            "What Prophecy, Granger?" he asked sitting up to look at her straight.

            Hermione mentally slapped herself.

            Draco watched as her cheeks paled even more.  He could nearly see the wheels turning behind her eyes.  "I said I'm a pureblood progeny…"

            He raised a skeptical eyebrow.  "You're a bad liar, Granger," he stated frankly, "What Prophecy?"

            Hermione suddenly looked very tired.  She sighed and ran a small hand through her chestnut hair.

            "My mother prophesized a relationship between us, Malfoy," she gave in with her eyes grim set.  Her eyebrows only unknotted when she looked him in the eye.

            Draco was in silent surprise, before he exploded.  "Is she off her rocker?" he suddenly yelled, "We can't stand each other, and she believes we'll be a couple?  This whole thing is a joke!"

            Hermione jumped in surprise at his random tirade, but once his words sank in, she snapped.

            Draco blinked in shock, when a pair of amber eyes appeared inches from his.  The orbs danced with a flame waiting to consume him.

            "Do you think I don't know that, Malfoy?  No, my mother is not crazy, and she is a Seer.  You know damn well I don't have any patience with the _art_, but at least I have a respect for people," Hermione said deadly quiet.  She had literally jumped on him in anger.

            "Alright, alright.  Calm down, Granger."

            She slid off of his legs quickly.

            "What does the Prophecy have to do with?" he asked.

            "The destruction of the Dark Lord," she replied almost too calmly.

            'So there is a way to kill the mudblood bastard.  But why the hell does it have to involve Granger?' he thought.

            "I'm going to breakfast, now," Hermione called over her shoulder.  Before she stepped out of the open hole, she turned to him again, "I suggest you keep that to yourself, Malfoy.  You wouldn't want to wind up dead, now would you?"

            And then she was gone.

**A.N.:  Please review!!  I need feedback, dislikes, likes, anything your mind can come up with that's wrong or right with my fic.  Pretty, pleas. ****J**


	8. And It Begins

**Chapter Eight: And It Begins**

The Great Hall was still very empty. On Saturdays, most students slept in; some even slept until lunch.

Hermione walked briskly to the table on the far left, Gryffindor's. She was still fuming about Malfoy. He was such a royal ass! Why on earth was she supposed to be involved with him of all people?

She spotted an odd pair to be up early. Their heads were bent over a large stack of books and parchment. Jet black and fiery red brows were furrowed in an unusual concentration.

A slow smile spread across her face. Harry and Ron could cheer her up. She flopped down hard at Harry's side, startling the two boys.

"Merlin, Mione, you could at least announce yourself, before scaring me and Harry to death!" Ron huffed although a smile was on his freckled face. Any interruption was welcome, as long as it kept him from working.

Hermione threw him a dazzling evil grin.

"What're you tow doing up already, anyway?"

"Summer's homework," Harry said without looking up from his furious scribbling.

A smile touched her lips again. "You do know that you could do it during break, don't you?" Then you wouldn't be in such a rush to get it finished."

Ron started muttering under his breath about 'know-it-alls' and 'overachievers.'

Hermione glanced down at his work, since he was sitting in front of her.

"Ron, there's not lacewing in Veritaserum," she corrected half-heartedly.

"Well, you do it then!" Ron exclaimed exasperatedly pushing his paper across to her.

"I already have," she said handing it back.

Harry watched the exchange with amusement in his bright green eyes. He handed Hermione his finished essay on Animagi.

"What did you do last night?" Harry asked, while she scanned over his work. Ron sat across from him red faced.

"Very good, Harry," she commend his work, before tell the two about her elegant quarters.

"Alright, Malfoy's dead!" Ron cheered clapping Harry hard on the back.

"So, how'd you do it?" he asked quickly forgetting that he wasn't talking to her.

"No," sighed Hermione, "He's still alive and smirking as always. Honestly, you two, why can't we try being civil this year?"

Ron's face fell a bit.

"Better luck next time, mate," Harry said grinning at Ron, before turning to Hermione, "Did you tell him about the Prophecy?"

"Yes," she replied rather curtly.

"And?" badgered Ron, not recognizing her rather tight reply as a stop sign.

"And he wasn't too bloody happy about it, alright?"

Ron backed off in surprise. "Gosh, Hermione, we were only asking."

Hermione ran a hand through her tresses, causing the dark waves to cascade over her face.

Suddenly a light whooshing filled the air. The school owls delivered schedules to the few students that were up. The rest settled in the rafters waiting for the owners of their letters.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry tore into their schedules excitedly. This year was their final year at Hogwarts; a year in which they would go their separate ways to prepare for the future.

Schedules would be different this year. No longer, would the houses stay together; now, the boys and girls went to classes that would be necessary for their choice jobs.

Hermione was taking Arithmacy, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Ancient Runes.

Harry and Ron would only share their Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts classes with her. The boys were planning to be Aurors for the Ministry, while Hermione was planning on teaching, hopefully at Hogwarts.

"Double Potions," Hermione murmured quietly. The boys looked at her sympathetically over their papers.

But she wasn't upset with it at all. That's what was weird with the trio' relationship. She wasn't exactly a confident with them…they had never gone as far as to get to know the nooks and crannies of Hermione, as she knew them. She just always put it off as a boy thing. The boys acted like it was their responsibility to protect her, while in essence it was she protecting them. Hermione felt a motherly inclination towards the two silly, danger prone boys. She had always staid with them through thick and thin and probably always would. It just worked out perfectly that way.

Harry was he confident occasionally, but while Ron was around, he was swept back into the life boy's loved. Talks about sports and competition; discussing feeling was for girls. That's what Hermione needed, a girl friend. Someone she could seriously talk to.

In all honesty, Hermione loved Potions. Yes, the professor could be a major ass most of the time, but everyone knew that he knew his stuff. She loved it because of the mysteries it held. You could kill someone with a simple mixture of common plants, and heal them just as quickly with another. The oddity of being able to mix simple substances together and getting something complex enthralled her.

She also had an extreme thirst to prove herself in the class. It was probably one of her most Slytherin like traits she held. But she would always find that it wasn't good enough; she had to work harder. It was a drive that Hermione strove for.

"Hey, guys," a kind voice said pulling Hermione out of her reverie. Professor Lupin smiled down at the three of them. His greenish yellow eyes were half hidden by his shaggy, sandy hair.

Remus Lupin had come back to Hogwarts at the end of their fifth year. He no longer looked so tired and shabby. Snape had invented a new solution to fight the werewolf curse. The potion had no side effects and helped amazingly.

"Hello, Professor," they greeted him warmly.

"Ready for me this year?"

"You bet! We have you second, sir," Ron answered enthusiastically.

"Sir, what will we be covering this year?" inquired Hermione with interest.

"Knowing you, Hermione, it won't be anything you don't know already," the man teased with a wolfish grin.

Hermione blushed prettily at his compliment.

"Oh my gosh," she exclaimed, eyes going wide, "I've forgotten to recheck my list of side effects of a vampire's bite! I'll see you guys later!"

She dashed from the table hurriedly.

TJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBJTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJBTJB

Lupin shook his head in silent laughter, while the boys groaned about another essay.

The weekend flew by with its usual turmoil. All the students, nearly, were finishing homework that was assigned over break. Everyone was in a rush to get ready for his or her fist classes back.

Hermione and Draco avoided one another whenever possible. When both were in the common room, it was like you had walked into a room that had a silencing charm cast upon it. Usually when one entered the room, the other found that he or she had something to do elsewhere.

All went well until Potions on Monday.

It seemed as if every class she had, Malfoy took just to annoy her. What was worse was all of her teachers, so far, had thought it a grand idea to pair up the Heads!

Hermione walked into the Potions classroom in a foul mood. She and Draco still refused to speak to each other, so each class had went by with some difficulty. Thank Merlin it was her last class of the day.

She landed heavily into a chair beside Lavender Brown. The girl looked at her with her almond shaped, brown eyes with sympathy. Lavender had been in a couple of classes with her throughout the day. She had been in Hermione's Arithmacy class, when Draco had decided to kick her chair just when she was going to sit in it. Deciding that Hermione was in no mood to hear the latest 'who was dating who' gossip, she turned back around to her best friend Parvati Patil.

Parvati looked over Lavenders shoulder and gave Hermione a small smile. She had been in Hermione's Ancient Runes class, when she tripped Draco as he was walking to the front of the room.

To say the least her day hadn't been going to well. Both her and Malfoy would be sporting some rather nasty bruises tomorrow.

Hermione scanned the room quietly through narrowed amber eyes. She was happy to see that there were no tall, silver haired serpents amongst the group. Her spirits began to rise slowly.

But all was shattered when the heavy wooden door smacked the wall with an echoing crash.

In sauntered the one person Hermione wanted to see least.

Draco walked in late with a pompous smirk on his handsome face. He dropped into a seat beside Pansy, giving her an arrogant wink.

Snape came in closely on his heels, but paid the tardy boy no heed. Instead, he called the entire class to a silence.

"This year I will be assigning partner, as to prevent the less inclined students from slowing others down." He gave Neville Longbottom a look of disgust.

Though horrible in Potions, Neville had forged on to take his last year' course. He gulped as the Potion Master's cold black eyes fell on him. The boy wasn't as large as he had once been, but he hadn't grown much either. His short brown hair and bright brown eyes gave him a look of sheer naiveté.

Snape started barking out the listed names quickly, "Granger: Malfoy, Parkinson: Brown, Zabini: Patil, Longbottom: Finch-Fletchly…"

The man's black eyes twinkled with a dark amusement at the suspense of his grumbling students.

Hermione rose slowly and walked over to the table Draco shared wit Pansy.

The blonde girl nodded at her in a subtle acknowledgement and walked off to find her partner.

'Merlin, why is everyone practically throwing us at one another?'

Snape finished his list with a flourish and waited until everyone was settled in his or her new seats.

"Today, we will be discussing Veritaserum. You all should know something about the potion, considering you all wrote an essay on it this summer." His icy glare threatened anyone who hadn't. "What is Veritaserum, class?"

Hermione's hand shout quickly into the air, surprisingly so did a couple others'.

"Of course Miss Know-It-All has the answer, she's programmed the whole library in her head," Malfoy hissed so only she would hear.

"At least I _do_ know, Malfoy," she retorted in an even tone.

"No one ever said I didn't."

"Oh, well go on and answer it," she said with a grin, before kicking him under the table.

Draco hissed in pain, drawing Snape's unwanted attention towards them.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Veritaserum is a complex potion that causes the drinker to tell only the truth when interrogated." Silver eyes burned into the side of Hermione's head throughout his answer.

"Very good. Ten points to Slytherin," Snape said walking back to his desk. He then began his lecture.

Hermione rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Damn it, Granger! What was that for?" he hissed menacingly.

"Oh, did I kick you? So sorry, Malfoy," Hermione replied in a sickly sweet voice that her personality would never match.

"You damn well did it on purpose!"

"Well, I did have to see if my _partner_ has something besides air in his head." A chestnut brow rose as she smirked wickedly at him.

"Can I have the honor of having our Heads' attention?" the Potions Master demanded from his desk, "You both have detention with me on Friday at 8:00pm sharp!"

The rest of the class looked at them in shock. Pansy watched them with a cool interest dancing in her aqua eyes.

"Now, as I was saying, Veritaserum, though a difficult potion, can be made within an hour," Snape said coolly, "And we will attempt to make it today." With a sharp flick of his wrist at the board, the ingredients appeared neatly down the black surface. "Get started!"

The class' attention turned to their cauldrons. Hermione got up for the ingredients hastily. She wanted good ingredients.

"What was that about?" Lavender asked pulling out a large parcel of newt's eyes.

"Oh, just another stupid argument," Hermione said as she picked through a large clump of elder's moss. The blue strands clung together as if in fear of their plight.

"Asfunnel?"

"Thank you, Neville," Hermione said taking a stalk of what looked like red asparagus from the boy.

She picked out some good samples of each ingredient and was looking for a nice piece of lizard tail.

"We need the ingredients this decade, Granger," came Draco's cool voice behind her. He took the ingredients from her arms and left her to find the rest.

She shook her head in distaste and picked out the missing ingredient.

LNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNWLNW

Hermione was laying on the loveseat thinking again. She was stuck with Malfoy all year! All of her teachers had used some excuse or another for them to be paired. Oh, there was McGonagall's "to set a school example," Snape's "equal partnership," but everyone's favorite was "Heads were to work together." It made Hermione want to chuck her badge into the lake. Then, Malfoy could collaborate up with the giant squid.

'At least we haven't murdered one another, yet…" Draco interrupted her thoughts. She hadn't heard him come in.

"You know, Granger, as many times as I've found you spaced out, I may need to take you to Pomfrey. Surely, she could fix your deplorable brain lapses."

"It's called thinking, Malfoy. But I wouldn't expect you capable of it anyway."

"I do think, but unlike you, I try to have a life in between."

"What the hell are you getting at, Malfoy?" Hermione's blood was beginning to boil.

"Your social life, Granger…Who was your last boyfriend?"

"That isn't your business!" Hermione snapped sharply.

"Well, I daresay it was Krum, during our fourth year…" he said nastily. Something in him told him to stop, but his stubbornness plowed on.

"Yes it was! Are you happy? I haven't dated in three years!" she screamed standing up in front of him. He had hit a definite sore spot.

"Why?" he asked. The voice inside was starting to scream at him.

"Because something is wrong with me!" she bawled, "I'm a freak or something!" Tears started to pour gently down her paled cheeks.

She didn't want to cry, especially in front of him! But it still hurt so badly. Hermione turned to run to her room, but was stopped by Malfoy.

He grabbed her wrists quickly and turned her around. Her small hands were dwarfed in his large, warm ones. Draco pulled her close and held her hands tightly between his.

"Who told you that?" he quested gently. 'Why would someone hurt her with this lie?'

"Viktor did," she hiccupped, "Viktor did when we broke up, because a long distance relationship wasn't working. He said that no one would ever take me…" She choked and buried her head in his robes.

Draco wasn't sure what to do. His worst competition was bawling on him. He patted her awkwardly on top of her head.

"That's not true," he said quietly. No matter how many times he had said it himself, he had always known it wasn't true.

Hermione looked up at him teary eyed. A wane smile floated on her lips.

Then she did something he would never had of expected. Hermione Granger kissed him…

She had looked up into his eyes. And as suddenly as silver met gold, their lips made contact.

It was gentle and feather light, almost shy. But he had felt something within it. Something that was powerful.

Draco stood there with a numb mind.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," Hermione whispered barely audible. She then took off up the stairs, leaving only a wavering scent of coconut and lime in the air. The door clicked loudly in the silence of the room.

Draco touched his lips with his fingertips in disbelief. Did it just begin?

**AN: Taadaa!! So what do ya think? Likes it? I certainly hope so. Thank you, peeples that reviewed, for…well, reviewing! LoL! I wasn't too happy with this chappie myself, but that's all I have today. I hope you like it though. Love ya! Oh yeah, TJB would be my initials, while LNW would be those of a good friend of mine.**


	9. Into the Forest

AN:  Hey, hey!  Hope ya'll enjoy this chappie.  I enjoyed working with this one, so hopefully it's up to you all's standards, eh?  If it is or isn't, review it!  Tell me what's up with it and what you think.  Reminder:  I love reviews!  They make me smile and not to mention want to write more.  -

Shout out to all my lovely reviewers:  DeMiGoD714, Nelly22, glory12783, EndlessDeviltry, Zoey, regina-terrae, Chillkat, devilserpent, Sarah, hermyblack, Manda, vikesgirl, TheElven1, Kel, Janine, mystifiedbynature, and Voldie On Varsity Track

Chapter Nine:  Into the Forest

            The week went by quickly.  The dreaded night of detention loomed ever closer for the unsettled Heads.  Hermione hadn't spoke much to Draco since Monday night; he hadn't spoke to her either.  In all honesty, neither had spoken to anyone much since the fateful night.  They were constantly wrapped up in their troubled thoughts.  The two didn't even look at one another anymore.  The times they did speak were only times when it was inevitable, but then it was only a, "can you pass the dragon's blood?" or "do you have those notes?"  Never beyond necessity did they talk.

            They were now in the Potions classroom.  Most of the students sat around idly because they had completed the assigned work; others were still scribbling furiously and glancing wistfully at the others.  A simpler assignment was given that day, because the Potions Master was looking a little off color.  Not that his pale skin had much color to it anyway.

            Hermione finished her extra three inches on the foot-long essay on Ways to Fight Veritaserum.  A long sigh escaped her pink lips when she caught side of the clock above the door.  Time seemed to tick by sluggishly.

            Her hair was pulled back in a bun that had dropped strands of her chestnut locks throughout the day.  She propped her head on her arm and gazed around the room, bored.

            Draco was leaning back in his chair hazardously.  One are was thrown across the back of the chair lazily.  He too was watching the clock.

            Snape had informed them during lunch that they were to dress in old clothing because they were going into the Forbidden Forest.  He was having them collect glowworms for Professor Lupin's potion.

            No one had noticed the strained silence between the two Heads.  Most thought they were just tired after the night patrols, which were only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Everyone else didn't even realize that they were completely silent with each other.

            'It's going to be a long night,' Hermione sighed inwardly as she began to shove her books into her bag, 'At least there's a full moon tonight.'

            Draco shot off and out the door when the bell hit its first odd note.  Hermione followed him out slowly with the rest of the class.  She headed up to the common room wearily.  She hadn't had a restful night's sleep since her first dream.  She was woken night after night by the eerie flight through a dark forest.

            She trudged up the last flight of stairs and headed for the portrait.  Her mind was wandering, so she barely paid attention to where she was going.  When she looked up at the painting, she turned quickly blushing furiously.

            David and Lia were in a rather compromising position.  Lia sat in David's lap kissing him hotly with unhidden love.

            "Umm…excuse me…" Hermione stammered embarrassed.  She heard a loud yelp and frantic scrambling.

            A faint smile touched her lips.

            "Err…umm…Miss Granger?"  Lia squeaked in an unusually high-pitched voice.

            Hermione turned around bashfully.  A smile broke her façade when she saw the bright crimson both of the people were turning.  David wore a sheepish smile.  Both were standing in opposite corners of the frame.

            "Lion's gold, Serpent's silver," she said quirking a ginger eyebrow at them in silent humor.  The portrait swung open faster than it normally did.

            Hermione walked in and dumped her heavy bag on the study table.  A quick glance around the room told her that it wasn't occupied.  With a small shrug, she left for dinner in a small hurry, hoping to get some food before she had to leave for detention.

Nelly22          mystifiedbynature          devilserpent          DeMiGoD714          TheElven1          glory12783

            Draco watched the girl entering the Great Hall with interest.  His silver eyes were locked on her petite form all the across the room.  He watched her sit down beside Potter with a small smile.  Something twisted in his stomach uneasily.

            Feeling a small hand on his shoulder, he looked up into the face of Pansy as she used him for support to sit down.  Her aqua eyes swirled with what looked like an upcoming storm.

            "What is up with you lately, Dray?" she asked finally settling herself down between him and Blaise.  Her small hand withdrew from his shoulder and went to picking out a meticulous meal.

            "Nothing, Pans," he answered not looking at her.  He was trying to see around the large form, which was Crabbe, who was now blocking his once clear view of the Golden Trio.  Well, mainly Granger…

            "Draco Malfoy, don't you lie to me!"  Pansy scolded in a high soprano, "It's bad enough that you're no longer around to talk to me, but when you can you won't."

            "I'm sorry, I just don't have much time, and I think a lot lately…"

            "Oh, and what would that be about?  Surely not school; you've never had to think much in it before," she said curiously.  Her light greenish blue eyes peered at him from beneath her long lashes.

            "Do you really want to know?" he asked leaning towards her slightly.  He wore a smirk hoping to throw her off, so she wouldn't ask.  He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

            Giving him a wicked smile, "Yes, I'd really like to know what goes through Master Malfoy's brain, since he isn't so obliging to share without making his dear friend beg," she replied.

            Draco let out a long sigh.  He should have known Pansy wouldn't be easy to throw off.  She never had been.

            Leaning in closer almost inconspicuously, he said it almost inaudible.

            Raising a skeptical platinum brow, she looked at him with a cool calculation.  "Really, now?" she rolled the words out of her mouth.  What he said had launched her brain into thinking.

            "Yes," he said looking up as his over large goon reached for a roll.  He spotted the dark head he was looking for and watched what was occurring with amusement.  Obviously, Granger and the Weasel were getting into it again.  They had already caught the attention of several students of the other tables.

            "Why?"  Pansy asked not noticing his sudden lack of interest in their conversation.

            She turned her attention away from her macaroni to her now silent confidant.  Pansy rolled her eyes in exasperation.

            "Draco, you're looking at forbidden flesh," she informed him when she placed her brightly polished, nailed hand in front of his face.

            He looked at her with an awkward smile.  The boyish grin he gave her only when embarrassed at being caught.

            Suddenly his eyes went round and wide.  "What time is it, Pans?" he asked.  Without waiting for her to look, he pulled her wrist up to examine the numerals on her glitzy watch.

            "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, "I've got detention in ten minutes!  I'll talk to later, aight, Pans?" he asked, without waiting for her reply her took off towards the door at full speed.

            But before he ran out the large doors, he turned towards the Gryffindor table.  "Oi, Granger!  Detention!" he shouted across the large room

            Every head swiveled towards him at his extremely odd outburst towards the Gryffindor girl.  Then, almost on automatic they swung towards Hermione to see her reaction.

            Hermione's eyes went wide, as she remembered.  A blush reddened her creamy cheeks noticing the entire student body's eyes on her.  Making her excuses to her friends, she took off after the Slytherin boy.

            By the time she got up to the room, Draco was already dressed and waiting to leave with her.  She gave him a thankful smile and dashed up her staircase.

            In her rush, Hermione grabbed for an outfit without a glance.  She pulled the faded and holey jeans on and slipped the old button up plaid shirt.  She twisted her hair up into a sloppy bun and crammed her feet into her favorite outdoor shoes, moccasins.

            As she ran down the stairs, Hermione buttoned her shirt up with nimble fingers.  She left the top three undone for breathing room.

            Draco was waiting for her at the bottom, he quirked a brow at her odd choice of clothing, especially her moccasins on dainty feet.  He had watched her bounce down the stairs half dressed in amusement.  Being a teenage boy, he couldn't help but appreciate the view and the bounce nonetheless.

            "Thank you for reminding me, Malfoy," Hermione said half surprised at her own words and out of breath from her quick change.  It felt odd talking to the boy, particularly because of the uncomfortable silence that flowed between the two almost contagiously.

            "No problem, Granger," Draco said smirking at her sideways.  He realized the he wasn't in the mood to argue, so kept his tongue civil.

            The two rushed down the many flights of stairs to the front doors.  Crossing the damp school grounds, they met Professor Snape in front of Hagrid's small hut.  The dark man was nearly invisible in the shadows.

            "Okay, now that you're both here, you will begin.  Tonight you will be going to the Willow Grove in the forest.  Go straight ahead then when you come to a fork go left.  It is your job to collect glow worms for a potion I must make for our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."  He handed them each a large silken sack.  "These are what you must hold them in.  The sacks have a lightening charm on them, so you won't be burdened with the load.  Have a nice night.  Detention is over when you feel like you can't carry anymore of the worms," he said giving them an oddly sardonic smile.

            The two set off into the forest with dampened spirits.  They trudged through the humid undergrowth in silence.  Halfway into the misty foliage, Hermione gave up trying to see where she was heading.  She had eventually even lost sight of Draco.

            Cursing silently under her breath, she pulled her wand out from her robes.  "Lumos," was the single word she uttered, before a painfully bright light sparked on the end of her wand.  She rubbed her eyes with her spare hand, forcing them to adjust to the sudden light.

            The Head Girl let her thoughts drift to Snape's words.  Thinking them through she caught a glimmer of the man's rare sense of humor.  'That git!  Telling us detention is only over until we can't carry weightless packs!' thought Hermione with a small smile.

            She looked up to find the silver head of the Head Boy.  But it wasn't there…  Looking around quickly, Hermione took in the misty path surroundings.  He wasn't in sight.

            "Malfoy!" she shouted frantically looking around, "Malfoy!"  The Forbidden Forest was fine as long as one wasn't alone, but one never knew what creatures lurked in the darkness.

            "What, Granger?"  Draco said in an almost annoyed tone.  He came around a sharp bend in the path, searching for her small form.  Spotting her, he walked back along the path towards her.

            "Why'd you run off?" she gasped in surprise as he came extremely close.  She remembered the little boy that had once feared the dark trees more than she.

            "Well truthfully, Granger, I didn't mean to.  I didn't even know where you were til you yelled.  And honestly, I wish you hadn't done that.  Attracting attention to yourself in here isn't exactly the wisest thing you've ever done," Draco said looking at her with deep silver eyes.

            The little boy he had once been, he was no more.  The eerie forest that had frightened him as a child, no longer did as a man.  He had most definitely scared Hermione, who wasn't the most comfortable in the dark.  And as he said, her yelling in the forest wasn't the smartest move.  It was a full moon.  Werewolves would be about, along with the other ghastly creatures of the wood.

            She nodded in understanding, giving him a wane smile.  Hermione followed him closely from then on, always keeping the blonde in the small circle of her pale light.

            "Granger, get in front of me already!" the boy exclaimed after she stepped on his heels for a third time, "I can't take you constantly breathing down my bloody neck!"

            Hermione looked up at him with a sheepish smile.  She was pushed lightly in front with a large hand.  Her steps faltered, before she regained a small amount of Gryffindor courage that pulsed through her veins.

            Trudging on they came to the fork and as told took the left side path.  The terrain began to slope slightly, and the two's progress slowed.  Reaching the top of a hill, Hermione took in a sharp breath at the view below them.

            Expanding for near a mile was a large gap filled with hundreds of weeping willows.  In the middle of the clearing was a calm pond.  What made it spectacular though was the dozens of tiny glowing worms clinging to the bark of the willows.  They gave off a beautiful, mystic golden glow.

            The glowworms gave off their light because of the high-energy magic coursing through their tiny bodies.  Both students knew not to squeeze the little insects, lest they wanted powerful magic to explode in their faces.

            Hermione took off down the hill in a brisk jog.  Draco watched her run between the drooping branches with amusement.  Her dark hair bounced behind her.  She started picking the little insects of gently.  She almost felt sorry for the little golden creatures until one turned around and bit her fingers.  With a shriek, she dropped the offender and examined her index finger carefully.  The small puncture wound was bleeding but not like any ordinary cut.  Hermione's blood was changing color, slowly going every shade of the rainbow.

            "Oh bugger," she said not daring to suck on the cut, pulling out her wand she said, "Repairo dermis."  The cut stopped bleeding quickly and the skin sealed up the little bite.

            "Where did you learn that?  Planning to be a Healer, Granger?" asked Draco standing in a tree not far off.  He was balanced cat-like on a branch picking at the bugs.

            "No, I'm actually more interested in a teaching career.  But I did go to Madame Pomfrey last year to learn a couple of useful spells."

            "Are you really?  I am too," Draco said dropping a small handful into his bag.

            Hermione looked at him in surprise.  She couldn't see Draco Malfoy, Prince of Darkness, as the sort to want to work with children.  But then again, Professor Snape never struck her that way either.

            The two worked in silence once more.  The air was only broken by a few sharp gasp from Hermione when the glowworms decided to bite her.  Amazingly, it seemed Draco didn't have difficulty with them at all.  He laughed his rich melodious laugh each time she gave a peep.  After a while, it was Draco, who broke their peaceful silence.

            "You know, Granger?  I'm sorry for calling you a mudblood for all of those years."

            Hermione looked up at him rather cynically.  "Is that because is it was a lie, Malfoy, or because you truthfully are?"

            "Both in a way, but mainly the latter.  I've realized that it was only because my father told me it was correct to.  I know now that it isn't, because some of the most powerful witches and wizards are half-blood or less.  Voledmort himself is only half-blood, but the quack believes that his own kind are lower than dirt," Draco said with a small shrug, "But now, after years of picked fights and names hate, replaced that mere uncertainty I had in the beginning.  I never even received a small pat on the head for doing any of it, but I always wanted to make my father proud."

            Hermione listened quietly to all he said.  It amazed her that the one person that she had always felt heartless and unfeeling thought so true.  It amazed her that the same person she wouldn't have told anything to in her life now was telling her some pretty deep feelings.  She also felt a strong pull to confide in him, something she never felt with Harry or Ron.

            "I've never hated you, really, Malfoy.  It was mainly a feeling of loss and anger I had towards you.  Just because you insulted me and my friends, I never even tried to say anything to you," she said softly, "Finding out that I am in fact a pureblood this year was a major change for me.  It hurt me to think of all the taunting I went through was a horrible lie."  She never even said it had been just from him, but she didn't have to.  He understood.

            A short silence settled in again.  Both worked thinking their own thoughts.  But again, it was Malfoy who broke the silence.

            "Err…Granger?" he started uncomfortably, "About the other night…" For once in his life, Draco Malfoy was at a loss for words.

            Hermione sighed.  "I'm sorry about that, really I am.  I wasn't meaning to get so emotional on you either."

            "That's not it.  I don't regret it is the thing, Granger," Draco said quietly, "I don't know what to do anymore.  I was raised to keep my emotions hid, but around you, I can't.  It's like your very life mocks everything I've know.  You've attracted because of that, but I react to you negatively because of what everyone thought you were.  I don't know how to handle my emotions lately.  I don't know what they even are.  I can't tell Pansy, because then I would have to explain everything to her."

            Knowing how she felt, she gave him a bright smile.  "Sounds like you need a confidant, Malfoy."

            A genuine smile lit up Draco's usually stony face.  "I believe I do."

            "Now, it's Hermione if you don't mind.  I never minded Granger, mind you, but I don't like having to be caught up perpetually in the male's way of acknowledging competition," she said brightly.

            "Hermione, then," Draco drawled in his deep voice.  Hermione shivered at the way it rolled off his tongue.  "And I'm Draco, if it's no trouble."

            "None at all…  Now, I think we can head back to the castle," she said indicating the bulging bags both held.

            The two set off back through the forest, no longer bothered by the dark.  They talked all the way back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

            Quietly a dark figure followed them back to the school.  He had heard everything.

**AN:  I just had the greatest idea!!!  All my excellent reviewers, that review all the time or even just more than once, shall get the prize of…(drum roll please!)…(_I said drum roll_!)…getting their name (or at least their screen name) placed between point of view and time shifts!!!  Isn't it the grandest prize ever?  Like who wouldn't wan their fabulous name in _my _ever so excellent story?  If you say not me…I curse you!  LoL!!  If ya'll have noticed that this is a pathetic attempt to make reviewing for me fun…cookies to you!  Cause you can so see through my twisted little schemes.  Love you people!  B'bye, now!**


	10. Memory

**_AN: Hey, again! (Yawn) I'm up really late trying to get this chapter out to ya'll, so ya better like it! LoL! B'bye!_**

**_Thanks to: My new reviewers, and of course the old!_**

**Chapter Ten: Memory**

Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk. The many ticking and whirring of his large collection of silver instruments had a calming effect on the man. The large phoenix sat atop his desk. Fawkes chirruped his unusual musical song.

A grinding sound announced the arrival of a tall man. Without looking up from a large bowl sitting in front of him, Dumbledore greeted his guest, "So nice to see you, Severus."

"Albus, they have made a bond of sorts," Snape announced the wanted information. He paid close attention to any reaction the old man got from the news; he still had no clue why the Headmaster had sent him to follow the students. At first, he suspected that the man wanted to make sure that the two didn't break out into a fight. The man had plenty of faith in Draco, but if a duel broke out between him and Granger, he would have an even competition.

"Well, this is excellent news indeed," Albus murmured more or less to the air. He took his wand and set it to his white temple. Pulling away, the wand held what appeared to be a fine silver hair. He dropped it into his pensieve with a flourish.

"Sir, if I may ask, why is that good news?"

"Yes, Severus, you may most definitely ask," the elder man said with a happy smile, "A prophecy was told concerning our two pupils. They with Mr. Potter will vanquish the Dark Lord, in the end. And from what you have told me, it seems it has began."

"So it will end?" the Potion's Master asked with an odd surge of hope touching his dark eyes. He fingered unconsciously at his left forearm.

"Truthfully, Severus, I don't know. As you have seen, all prophecies that are told aren't completed. All prophecies don't come true, and some aren't ever close to their marks. So you see, Severus, not all things can be foretold." The Headmaster looked at him sympathetically for a moment. His light blue eyes sparkled with a different light, behind his moon-shaped rimmed glasses.

Snape looked down at his feet, worrying the carpet with his icy gaze. He had never really enjoyed the man's full knowledge on every emotion he tried so hard to hide. The man had a definite knack for it. Seeing his right hand firmly clamped over his left forearm, he hastily dropped his arms to his side.

"But, Severus, you do know that there is still the unwitting chance that young Master Malfoy will follow his father, though unwillingly." He watched the small glimmer of hope disappear once more into the Potions Master's obsidian eyes. His emotions became hidden and controlled once more. "Right now, all lies in the heart of Hermione Granger."

**_Nelly22 DeMiGoD714 mystifiedbynature_**

October swept down on Hogwarts quickly. The view of the mountains and forest had turned to autumn's display of yellows, reds, and oranges. The students casual clothing steadily grew warmer, because of the ominous approaching chill of winter.

Draco and Hermione were sitting in their common room discussing plans for the upcoming Halloween ball. 'Couch claims' had finally been dropped, so now the two shared the couch comfortably. Draco lay sprawled out with his head on the armrest, while Hermione sat at his feet curled in her usual position.

The relationship that had started in September managed to last into early October unscathed. As far as they knew, no one knew of the bond between them. In between classes they remained, seemingly cold and distant. But while in the commons or in a class where they felt unwatched, the two would talk about their lives and days with warmth.

"Oh, so you want it to be a competition, do you?" she said with a large smile, "Alright, then. It'll have to be a costume ball then. Costumes will be judged by the professors." She scribbled down her notes in her neat and loopy scrawl.

Draco smirked inwardly at the girl's enthusiasm towards organizing something. He knew by now that if she said it, it would be done. "Okay," was his only laid back reply.

"Oh! And we'll have to arrange a day in Hogsmeade to shop for costumes; as well," she started eagerly jotting down more notes.

"Okay, _you_ can take it up with Dumbledore."

She looked up at him with an exasperated smile. "Do you ever do anything?"

"No, Hermione. You don't let anyone get a word in edgewise, when it comes to planning something," he said from his headrest.

"Sorry…" Hermione muttered with a small pout.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. It just gives me plenty of time to think of how Potter and Weasley stand you," he replied, poking her bottom lip in with his index finger. He laughed at her look of sudden indignation, as he settled back against his armrest.

"Nothing would have ever been planned if it wasn't for me! The lack of ingenuity between the two has never ceased to amaze me. Without me, the two wouldn't last a second in their reckless lives," she rebuked, red faced.

"Aw…I should have swept you away before they did. Then, I wouldn't have to put up with The-Boy-Who-Should-Have-Died and his trusty sidekick, the Red-Headed-Blunder."

Hermione's color drained from her face, making her look like a well-bleached sheet. Her eyelids narrowed, hiding the usually bright amber orbs, now they danced with an untamed flame. 'Are they all so immature as to not realize that unity is what this school needs most now? Stupid boys!' her soul screamed, but that annoying little voice had to have its say-so, "Why do you let him get to you so easily? It's just the normal words that get crossed between the three.' Why did she let him get to her? She had never really thought about it herself.

Draco was watching her closely. A small wave of apprehension rolled over him, as the girls face changed. But the explosion he expected never came. The flames flickered out in her eyes as if doused, now they looked like the stone they mocked in color. She sat at his feet stiff as a board. Her eyes that held no emotion were staring off into the lapping flames of the fireplace. Her brow was creased in thought, but she never showed a glimpse of any emotion.

"Hermione?" he questioned carefully, but was quickly interrupted.

"Do you really hate them that much?" she asked in a whisper, still not looking at him but the merrily cackling fire. She didn't want him to see the disappointment in her eyes, when he gave the answer she already knew he would give.

"Well, Mione," Draco began thoughtfully, he noted the smile crossing her face from the name, "I do believe the feeling is mutual." His silver eyes watched for her to let anything slip so he could read how she felt. But her passive face, remained just that.

The truth in his statement stung her, but the strong Gryffindor stubbornness wouldn't back down and let her show it. "Why?" She looked at him patiently, their eyes locked; both struggled to find any piece of emotion in the other's eyes.

"Like I told you before, at first it was…uh…beaten' into me, but as years went by it turned to genuine dislike. Father started filling me full of that rubbish at an early age."

"Why haven't you ever went against his word, or at least until now?" she dug purely out of curiosity.

Draco's face went grim; his eyes screwed shut trying to turn away the flood of memories flashing through his mind. "I learned the hard way."

Hermione sensed his uneasiness and moved to sit beside him on the floor. Compassion flowed freely behind amber. She reached out a small hand to squeeze his in reassurance. But the touch only lasted what felt like a second, before she felt the sensation of being sucked into a pit. Her feet left the floor as she was pulled farther from reality. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut feeling nausea washing over her.

**_EndlessDeviltry devilserpent glory12783_**

Hermione landed hard on a stone floor. She opened her eyes slowly, she found herself in a very unfamiliar room. Rising up off the floor, she realized she was in someone's study. Two large windows looked out on a beautiful view of a white peaked mountain, and in front of it was a large, clear blue lake that reflected the peaks perfectly. This definitely wasn't Hogwarts.

'Where am I?' she thought, suddenly she was very aware that she wasn't in the safety of the castle anymore. The realization of her being sent to an unfamiliar location with no idea how to get back hit her like a sudden blow to the stomach. Panic was trying to override her common sense, but she fought hard to think clearly.

She looked around at her surroundings looking for some clue to where she was. Shelves lined the walls, full of books that made Hermione yearn to read them all. But on a closer inspection, she found that all were written on the Dark Arts.

Horror seized her body, with an urgency she turned to find an escape route. Anything would be better than being in this evil house. The sight behind her, though, twisted her queasy stomach in knots.

Lucius Malfoy was sat like an arrogant aristocrat, behind a large desk covered with scattered parchment envelopes. An expensive phoenix feather quill danced in his hand as he wrote. Ink the color of blood flowed in neat rhythmic sweeps.

Every ounce of Gryffindor courage was herded back into her core. Caution followed her every step towards the well-known Deatheater's desk. Stopping in front of the man who would kill her in a mere heartbeat, she asked braver than she felt, "Why am I here?"

Lucius made no reply; he sat there as if he hadn't heard a thing. The quill in his hand continued its graceful dance across the parchment.

Anger surged through Hermione so fast she could feel the heat in her face. He was treating her like a stupid creature you could ignore! The question burst forth again, but in a scream of pure, nerve rattling anger.

The man didn't even flinch. His hand still wrote in its ceaseless scrawl.

Hermione then did something no Malfoy could ignore. Her hand drew back to slap the pale man's egotistical jaw, rage blinded all rational thought. But just as her hand should have made contact with the pale skin, it just passed right through it. Hermione's eyes went wide in surprise. What was going on?

Lucius finished his writing and enclosed the piece of parchment in an envelope. He stamped the green Malfoy crest in the center, sealing it tight. For a spell was placed on all letters stamped with the crest; no one else could open it, but the owner. He turned to and stepped out from his desk. He was a head taller than Hermione; his eyes were a cold blue. Walking around the desk he headed straight towards the door Hermione blocked, she didn't have time to move before he walked through her. A chill ran up her spine because of the ghostly feeling.

Hermione stood there only blinking and breathing. She couldn't be dead…

But then the incredibly sickening whirling sensation came again. She was dropped unceremoniously on the landing of a flight of stairs. This time she landed on her feet. It wasn't long before she realized that she was supposed to be following the foul man that had just started up another flight of stairs.

Following hastily, Hermione took in the Malfoy Manor. One word could describe it all at once: elegant. Dark hardwood floors and deep green walls could take her heart easily. Every chandelier or candle picked up another interesting artifact. Paintings lined a wall in the hallway they had just started down. Most appeared to be of the Malfoy family; it was so ironic that such evil people could be so stunningly beautiful or strikingly dashing.

Master Malfoy stopped in front of a dark wooden door. Sparkling silver 'd' was embedded in its surface. Knocking once, he entered without waiting for a reply.

Still on his heels, Hermione gazed around the new room in astonishment. It too was in the dark green. Well-designed furniture was scattered throughout the small room. A large four-poster bed set across from the wavering flames in a fireplace. What caught her attention though was what was in front of it.

A small boy lay across a large fur rug in front of the fireplace. His small hands propped open a large book that looked far too advanced for his age. The firelight caught in his silvery hair. It draped across his ears and fell across his forehead as he read.

"Get up, boy!" spat Lucius. The boy's form jumped along with Hermione's; she had forgotten he was there. "It's time for a new lesson."

"Yes, Father," the young boy said, not looking the man in the eye. He stood stiff as a statue in front of the vile man.

"What is a mudblood, boy?"

"I do not know, sir," came an innocent reply.

"You don't know," Lucius stated almost dangerously, "They are the filthiest beings in the wizarding world! Dirty witches or wizards from disgusting muggle families! You are to never, ever socialize civilly with those trash. Do you understand me, boy?"

"But why, Father," he asked in a small voice. His curiosity would cause him a dear lesson.

"Because I said, you fool!" his father screamed in his face. Lucius pulled his wand from an inner pocket and pointed it at the boy. Hermione watched the scene with pure horror. "I believe it is time for you to learn another valuable lesson. Your mother, the pathetic woman, can't protect you forever! It's time you learned that you are to never disobey me!" he said in a cold, uncaring voice, "Crucio!"

The boy stood there in stunned silence, then he was engulfed by the terrible yellow curse. He screamed as the pain tore through every nerve of his small body. Tears spilled down his pale cheeks.

Hermione's face burned with hatred aimed at the man who could torture his own son this way. Tears started to fall from her own eyes, as the boy convulsed with the cruel pain.

The boy fell to his knees; legs were no longer able to support his small mass. Only then did he look his father in the face. Hermione saw his eyes swimming with pain and fear. Draco's eyes…Hermione's breath hitched in her lungs. Silver depths of pure mystery were then only full of innocence.

Lucius removed the curse with a flick he had done so many times before on others. "Don't ever question me. Do you understand?"

Draco kneeled on the floor, his body moving with his every labored gasp for air. He was unable to answer.

"I said, do you understand me." Lucius hissed smacking the boy hard across his tearstained face. Draco's head turned with the force of the blow.

"Yes, sir," the young Draco croaked, trying to struggle to his feet.

"Good." Lucius turned and walked to the door. Before exiting, he turned to the boy once more, "I advise you not to scream next time, Draco. You will learn the hard way not to show emotions. Scream again the longer the pain will be."

"Yes, sir."

Hermione cried tears of pure hatred and pity. She wanted to comfort the small boy, wrap him up and hide him from the evil man he called Father. She stood watching as Draco forced his weak legs to hold him. Then all went black…

**_TheElven1 vikesgirl Zoey_**

Draco was surprised when Hermione touched his hand. He felt secure, but that feeling soon changed to concern when he opened his eyes.

Hermione was sitting beside him looking at nothing. Her eyes held on odd glazed, far off look.

'Oh, shit!'

"Hermione! Are you okay?" he asked panic stricken. Draco waved a hand vigorously in front of her face, getting no response. She still stared glassily ahead, not blinking. He scooped her petite body in his arms and rocked back and forth trying to think.

'Pomfrey! Go to the Hospital Wing!' his conscience screamed the first useful thing at him in ages.

Draco jumped from the couch and ran frantically to the portrait hole. The halls were empty in the middle of the night. As he ran, he began to feel a wet spot on his shirtfront. Glancing down he realized it came from Hermione's glassy amber eyes. Clutching her closer to his body he dash on. He could feel the small trickle become a flood on his skin. Her tears drenched his shirt.

'Oh, Hermione, please be alright!'

Leaping up a flight of stairs, he was thankful they didn't decide to change on him. The Hospital Wing doors loomed in front of him closer. He broke into a dead sprint as her small body shook.

"What on earth is going on?" asked Madame Pomfrey as she bustled into the main room at the commotion. She was pulling a robe over her speckled nightdress. She was met with the most surprising picture Hogwarts could paint. Could you believe it? Draco Malfoy carrying none other than Hermione Granger in his arms.

"I don't know! One minute she was fine, then the next her eyes were glazed over and she started to cry!"

"Oh, dear. Here eat this, boy." She handed him a large chunk of chocolate to mend his frazzled nerves.

Draco swallowed it, ignoring the dryness of his throat.

"Go get Dumbledore, dearie."

With that, he was off like a rocket again. He raced to the Headmaster's office at a dead run. Encountering the gargoyle, he shouted the password, "Chocolate Frogs," and dashed up the spiraling stairs. He wracked the door once, but in his haste didn't wait for an answer.

"What seems to be the trouble, Mr. Malfoy?" the man asked noting his pale and streaked face.

"Something's wrong with Hermione!" Draco blurted out upset.

"Oh, cockroaches! That is indeed serious," the Headmaster said hurrying around his desk. His blue eyes held a small sparkly of amusement. Not many people were blessed with the sight of Draco Malfoy showing emotion so freely.

They both half ran to the Hospital Wing, Draco was tiring and Dumbledore aging.

Both burst through the doors at once. "Where is she, Poppy?"

"Over there, sir," the nurse said nodding in the beds direction from her cabinet, "She fell unconscious a moment ago."

Dumbledore leaned over her small frame intently. Draco stood on the other side; a knot twisted uncomfortably in his stomach at her pale skin and closed lids.

The older man placed his wand to Hermione's temple, "Enervate," he said quietly.

Hermione's amber eyes shot open in shock. They focused hazily on the concerned faces above her. "What happened?"

"We don't know until you tell us, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said softly.

She covered what she had seen with a vivid memory. Draco listened to her account in awe. She had seen one of his memories.

Dumbledore sat in contemplative silence. He listened to her story with great interest. "Well, Miss Granger, I believe you have some Seer's blood in you," he said with a warm smile, "Your mother could do that too, Hermione. She could see someone's memories, when she touched them with emotion. She could also see the future to a degree. May I ask if you have had any odd dreams lately?"

"Yes, sir. I have," she answered remembering her nightly flight through the forest, "I dream that I am running through a forest at night. I'm not alone, but I don't know who is with me. Curses are being shot at us, and my companion falls. He had broken his leg, but wouldn't let me stay. Feeling at a loss, I continue running until I collide with a hooded Lucius Malfoy."

Draco's eyebrows rose at her dream, especially when his father was mentioned. 'So that was what she dreamed about.' He looked at her in surprise.

"This troubles me deeply, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said looking into her eyes, " I believe your safety may be at risk at some time or another this year."

Dumbledore left and Madame Pomfrey left the two students to themselves for the rest of the night. Only after she couldn't see the old woman, did she look at Draco's face. His silver eyes looked tired and haunted.

"Draco, will you stay with me tonight?" she asked softly. Hermione didn't want any nightmares on this night.

"Yeah, sure, bookworm," he said smiling, "Just let me find a place to sleep first, okay?"

"You can stay here," Hermione stated clearly indicating the space beside her.

"That might not be the best idea." He raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.

"I don't care, it's just for tonight," she said patting the empty spot.

Draco sighed inwardly, 'This will be a long night.'

He climbed into the bed beside her and covered them both up. "Goodnight, Mione," he yawned out rolling to his side.

"Mmm," Hermione sighed, already drifting off into sleep. She felt safe and warm with Draco pressed gently to her.

Hermione didn't run through the forest that night.


	11. Dreams and Friends

**AN: Okay, people! I've updated already! LoL! Yay for me! Hope you like the chapter. If you have got a fanfiction account since your first review and have reviewed since, please notify me so I can put you in my chapter!**

**Thanks to: New and Old Reviewers as always!**

**Chapter Eleven: Dreams and Friends**

Draco woke with a start, when something soft snuggled close to him. He looked down at the small form curled against his side. Hermione's brown head rested on his chest, lids were closed in a peaceful sleep. 'Well at least she isn't having a nightmare,' he mused.

After a while, Hermione sighed and opened her eyes. Her pillow squirmed beneath her slightly. She looked up and met Draco's silver eyes. At first she was in shock, not knowing why she was in bed with a boy, much less her old enemy. But as her drowsiness wore off, and she continued to look into the steely eyes of the boy, it all came back to her in a rush. Pictures of a concerned Draco rushed through her mind along with others of Dumbeldore and Madame Pomfrey. Draco was concerned, for her?

Draco interrupted her thoughts. "Err…Hermione, could you sit up, now? It seems my arm has fallen asleep."

Hermione sat up quickly, going slightly red in the face. She had been sleeping on his arm. "I'm sorry!" she apologized, blushing to a darker shade of red.

"It's no problem. Really, Hermione," Draco said flexing his arm. He watched as she stretched out beside him again, this time avoiding his arm. She looked like a sleepy cat, gazing at something that amused it.

"Sleep well?" he asked not looking at her but his arm. It had fallen into an almost numb state and was beginning to tingle.

"Umm…well yeah, and you?" Hermione said not looking him in the face. Truthfully she hadn't slept well at all. She didn't have her usual dream though, instead she had another, more troubling dream.

**_Nelly22 DeMiGoD714 mystified by nature_**

She was standing on the shore of the lake under a tree, staring out over the cool waters. The moon reflected full on the lake's glassy surface, and its pale light cast everything in a queer magical silence.

Hermione shivered as a cool breeze tugged at her frame, and weaved its way through her clothing. A couple of loose wisps of chestnut hair caressed her pale face. The night air was peaceful and calming.

She was oblivious to the man, who had followed her to the tree. Another breeze chilled her to her core, but the touch that preceded it was warm. Someone had draped a cloak tenderly around her shoulders. She couldn't help appreciating the warmth that radiated from its silver folds.

Turning towards the stranger, she couldn't identify him even then. He was tall and well built; an elaborate mask hid his identification.

"Would you like some company?" he inquired politely.

"Well, yes actually." Hermione smiled up at the boy intriguingly. "Why are you not in the Hall?" she asked inquisitively.

"I thought I would follow you out."

She looked curiously up at him. "What ever for?"

"I didn't think it wise you coming out on your own," he answered straight out. "And may I ask, why you came out?"

"I don't know, really. I just felt like I needed to come out here. There's just too much going on in there at once, and I'm not much for parties any way."

"I know what you mean. I've never been one for all the action and everything, but I do like to dress up."

"Who is your date?" Hermione asked remembering that it was a ball.

"Oh, I came alone."

"Why?" All she could think of is, 'who wouldn't go with this charming guy? He's even able to carry on an intelligent conversation not involving quidditch!'

"The girl I wanted to take was already taken," he answered openly.

She felt sorry for the boy in front of her. "And who, if I may ask, was your choice date?"

There was a short silence before he answered, "Err…well, it was you, Hermione."

Hermione was totally floored by his revelation. "Oh…well…umm…"Hermione was at a loss for words. " Really?"

"Yes." This time his answer wasn't nervous or embarrassed. "Yes, it was you."

Hermione looked up into his invisible eyes searchingly.

Just as a small cloud was moving in front of the moon, he swept down and claimed her lips with his. In the darkness Hermione could still sense the need and passion within the kiss. Her lips parted slightly, letting him have access to the rest of her mouth. His tongue danced with hers, feeling the textures of it, but she met him with an equal curiosity.

When they finally broke apart for air, they both stood there breathless. He had kissed her with such need and feeling, she didn't know what to do. It was like he had wanted to kiss her for a long time, or he had planned to do it when he did go outside.

But before she could say anything, he found her hand in the dark and pressed his lips to her knuckles. "Good evening, Hermione." And with that, he turned and left.

When the moon was once again visible, Hermione was standing there alone. In complete surprise, she turned and headed back to the castle. The cloak was forgotten, though it was still draped across her shoulders.

**_EndlessDeviltry devilserpent glory12783_**

Draco and Hermione were sitting in Charms, practicing the Disillusionment charm. It had been almost a week since they had slept in the Hospital Wing. Hermione's nightmares had returned full force when she was alone. For several nights Draco was woken up by her screams of terror.

The professors noticed the silent and weary forms and spoke to Madame Pomfrey of it. At the insistence of the nurse, Hermione began to take Dreamless Sleep potion. So they both began to catch up on their sleep and no longer looked downtrodden.

Dumbeldore had contacted Hermione's parents the night of her memory jump. The elderly man was concerned about Hermione's nightmares and had nearly forbid Poppy from giving her the potion. He believed that she could learn from her dreams and take caution from them, but once he saw the tired far off looks of the students, he decided to let fate take its course.

Draco glanced at Hermione almost pleadingly for a Malfoy.

"What is it, Draco?" she asked laughing at his protruded lip and sulky demeanor.

"It's not working!" he exclaimed perturbed, "I've tried four times already!"

"Patience is a virtue," she said teasingly, but he shot her an ugly look so she said, "Oh alright, how are you pronouncing it?"

He tapped his wand on the top of his egg and said, "Dissimulio." All he succeeded in doing was cracking his egg and causing a mess.

Hermione was giggling at his temper. "Draco, that's how it's supposed to feel not look!"

He looked livid at his fifth try and glared at her in silence.

She stopped laughing at his charm, when she saw the anger starting to flash in his eyes. "Sorry, Draco. You pronounced it wrong, anyway. It's Dissimulo, not Dissimulio."

Hermione demonstrated for him, tapping the top of her egg with daintiness and rolling the charm off of her tongue easily. The egg immediately changed its color to match everything behind it, giving it an almost invisible look. The only way to tell it was there was the distinct rounded form that caused everything beyond to look larger.

"Well done, Miss Granger. Twenty-five points to Gryffondor!" piped the tiny Charms teacher, who was standing on a chair beside Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnegan's table.

Hermione blushed slightly, while Draco rolled his eyes behind her back. He turned to a new egg that had been conjured up by Hermione and performed the charm again. This time he got the desired effect; a smirk flirted on his lips at his triumph.

She was looking around the room, when she heard Draco put his head down wearily. Looking over at him, she couldn't help the small giggle that came. His head was rested directly beside his enchanted egg. To see him, Hermione had to look through the egg to see his face. He looked as if he were looking into a spoon. His forehead went large and his cheekbones went extremely wide. His distorted features amused her into laughter.

"What's so funny, Granger?" he asked, causing his face to distort further. Hermione only giggled louder.

"Look, Draco," she said putting her book title in front of his egg. He looked through at the indistinct writing on the cover. A smile played his face over. "I still don't really get it," he said untruthfully. He was just waiting for her to put her face in front of it.

"Yes you do," Hermione said knowingly rolling her eyes. 'Really! Does he think I'm that stupid?'

Draco made a face of innocent disagreement, before his clever smirk spread out again.

"Class dismissed!" the small Charms Professor piped loudly.

The class headed out for break happily. Harry and Ron caught up with Hermione as she started to walk out the door.

"Hey, Mione! Wait up!" Ron called from his desk he shared with Harry.

Hermione stood in the door waiting for them impatiently. As Draco went by, he gave her a small smile. Smiling back, she turned to watch her friends slowly making their way to the door.

"What was that all about?" Ron blurted as soon as he reached the door. Harry grimaced at his side. They had agreed to ask her about it, but approach it smoothly. Obviously, Ron did not know the word smooth.

"What was what about?" she asked with raised brows. Hermione caught Harry's look of disgust that was thrown at Ron. She knew them both well enough by now to know something was up.

"You and Malfoy were practically flirting with one another!" Ron exclaimed pouring oil on dynamite's fuse.

Harry rubbed both hands down his face pulling it stretched. When was he going to learn?

"Where the hell do you get off saying that?' the girl screamed in the redheads face. Her amber eyes danced with an angry flame. She was so sick of Ron's big mouth.

"You laughed with him! That's how!" Ron's red face turned victorious. He looked at Harry for agreement, but got none. His friend just shook his head warningly, green eyes looked flustered.

"You stupid prat! I laugh with you all the time! Is that some how a new miraculous way to flirt?"

Ron's face fell, at her words. It stung him to hear her say it. "Well, are you and Malfoy friends or what?" he croaked out disappointed.

"Yes, we are. Do either of you have a problem with it?" Anger wasn't letting her keep her mouth in control.

"I do!" yelled Ron disgruntled, "And I bet Harry doesn't exactly support it either!"

"If I could talk to you two, I wouldn't have to had found someone else to talk to!"

Hurt washed across both of their faces. Blue and green eyes closed at the truth.

"I find him a far more capable friend than either of you have been." Turning to Harry, she said, "I'm not directing all of this at you Harry. You tried to listen most of the time." She glared at Ron with anger.

"I'm sorry, Mione…" Ron started feebly. He'd never heard her this angry.

"No, Ron…No," Hermione said softly pulling her hair in her small fists, "I'm sorry. I said too much…too much that I didn't mean. So much has happened this year, ya know?"

Ron looked a little happier at her apology, but Harry just stood there lost in deep thought. "Do you think it has began, Mione?" he asked curiously.

She a small smile came from his question. "Yes, Harry. I do."

Both boys grinned at her playfully. "So, I guess this won't be a dull year, eh?" Ron prodded teasingly. They all knew the consequences that flirted with their adventures.

"Sure will," she said meekly looking up at the two boys who had been her friends for so long.

They piled on her in a fierce bear hug, only releasing her when she claimed a cracked rib.

**_TheElven1 vikesgirl Zoey_**

Hermione entered the common room with a small sigh. She had a peaceful thirty minutes to herself ahead. Laying her book on the chair on her side of the large desk, she rearranged the item on top with pernickety precision.

A knock sounded suddenly from the outside of the portal. Surprised Hermione opened the portrait to Pansy Parkinson. "Uh…hello?" Hermione said uneasily.

"Hi. Is Draco around?" the other girl asked trying to peek around her shoulders.

For the past two years, Pansy and Hermione regarded one another with silence. Both felt after fifth year that shooting insults and being rude was far too childish. Now, when conversation would be forced, Hermione didn't know what to think.

"No, he hasn't come up that I know of. You can come in and wait for him, if you want." She moved aside for the slightly taller blonde girl to walk through.

"Whoa! Ya'll hit it big, didn't ya?" Pansy exclaimed breaking some ice. Hermione smiled behind her. "This is gorgeous!"

"Yeah, I guess we did."

Pansy had changed over the years. She finally grew into her pug-like nose, so the part in question was turned up cutely at the end. Her long blonde hair hung in loose curls around her pale face. Her eyes were a sea greenish blue.

Hermione directed her towards the couches, while she stood organizing all the books and parchment she had already used on the desk. She would be able to leave with a lighter bag.

Finally she gave into curiosity and asked, "So, are you and Draco…"

"Oh, no," Pansy interrupted quickly, "He's just like an older brother. That would be just gross!" Hermione felt a small amount of relief wash over her at the girl's words.

"Are you and Ron?" was the question from Pansy. Both girls noted the usage of first names curiously, but decided not to comment.

"No," was Hermione's short reply.

"Oh, so it's you and Potter, then?" Pansy asked relief was evident in her voice.

"No, why?" Hermione asked with a small frown. She wasn't intending to turn this small information test into a catfight.

"Well, as long as you've three been together, everyone figured you were dating one or the other."

"No, we've never dated," she replied shortly. Hermione still wanted to know about her interest in Ron. "They're brothers to me, like Draco is to you." Hermione's nose scrunched up as if the entire thought were appalling.

Pansy laughed in her light musical voice.

"Well, I see you two are getting along," came Draco's voice from the exit. He was surprised to see Pansy in the common room, much less talking to Hermione civilly.

"Oh, yes. We were just having a little chat," Pansy said throwing a smirk at Hermione. It was returned fully with a mischievous wink.

"Oh, and what would that be about?" asked Draco, catching the smirk mid way.

"Girl things, dear boy. What else?" Hermione said slyly, slipping easily into the game.

"What's included in these 'girl things'? I've never heard either of you talk about them before."

Pansy glanced at Hermione at the mentioning of her ever talking to Draco. "Well, Dray, I don't believe you are on the females' side of the battle. So therefore, you will never know."

Hermione caught the glance but continued the charade they were pulling the poor boy through. "It's not like a girl can talk about girl things with her inferior male friends."

"So, we were catching up on intelligent conversation, while you were gone." Pansy gave him a dashing smile.

Draco stood there dumbfounded. A blank expression folded over his face. Then, both girls burst out laughing, which didn't really help Draco in his current state of confusion. "Are you two bloody nutters?" he asked shaking his blonde head in misunderstanding.

"I'm sorry, Dray. We were just teasing," Pansy apologized still giggling.

"The look on your face ruined it all!" cried Hermione between her fit of giggles. Tears started to swim in her amused amber eyes.

"Well…" was all he said before a sheepish grin smoothed his lips. He ran a hand through his long hair, "Why are you here, Pans?"

"Oh, yeah! I nearly forgot! Will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend? I need to buy a costume," she answered putting on cute pout.

"Yeah, sure. I haven't got mine either." He smiled at her glad to have someone to go with. "Who are you going to the ball with?"

"Blaise," Pansy said blushing, "He asked me last night. It was so romantic." She sighed happily.

Hermione smiled a girl's knowing smile, but Draco frowned. He was about to say something when Pansy catching his expression intervened; "You aren't about to go all big brother on me again, are you? Cause I like him, Draco, and you aren't going to scare him off like you did Saber Firestone!"

Draco sighed. Then he said, "Sorry, Pans. I just don't want you hurt."

"'S alright, Dray. See you later then!" she skipped off towards the portal, but turned just before she left, "We need to talk more often."

Hermione nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you're welcome here anytime you want to be."

"Sure." Pansy nodded back and stepped gracefully out. Her blonde head disappeared as the portrait swung closed.

Hermione flopped down the couch with a sigh. A nap sounded so good, just for the remaining fifteen minutes of seventh year break, but one doesn't always get what one wants.

"Did you and Pans just get along?" interrupted Draco's deep voice.

"Mmm hmm," Hermione replied with her eyes closed. 'Why does he always have to ask questions when I'm not sure about something myself?'

"Why?" Hermione's eyes rolled and then opened to look at the boy.

"I suppose we both never have gave the other a chance, so didn't know we could." Thinking he would leave her alone, she closed her eyes again.

"Hermione?" Draco asked coyly, sitting down beside her slender form.

"Yes?" she sighed sitting up abruptly. When she opened her eyes, a small squeak of surprise escaped her small mouth. Her sitting up brought Draco's face within inches of hers. She was looking straight into his silver eyes.

Draco, not flinching from the closeness of her face, continued, "Who are you going to the ball with?"

"Harry, I believe. It's just as friends, though. He doesn't like having to ask for a date." She didn't catch the disappointment in his eyes. "Who are you going with?"

"Oh, no one. I think I'll make this a solo for me," he said quietly. This Hermione caught.

"Oh, do you want me to find a date for you?" she asked concerned.

"No, that's all right, Hermione. I don't have to sit there and think about trying to match a girl's costume."

"Well, we'd better be off to class," Hermione said as the end-of-break bell rang.

"Yeah, right."


	12. To Hogsmeade

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…(starts sobbing)…I don't own Ron Weasley…(tears start to fall)…And I don't own Draco Malfoy…(starts crying hysterically; becomes loony and gets sent off to St. Mungo's)…I don't own any of the world renowned J. K. Rowling's amazing skill or characters, places, and events…(Starts grinning madly{remember I was sent to St. Mungo's})…But I do own my own twisted ideas and a few odd characters I choose to add…**

**Disclaimer afterthought: You know what surprised me? I was reading on fanfic, after I'd already started this one, I saw the exact idea I had! Sigh…People sit there sometimes and gripe about having their ideas stolen and such, but ya know: There are over a freaking billion people on this planet and you aren't going to be the only person to think of something. It's truthfully not possible. Oh, yes, you bring up some famous people who came up with stuff…but how the heck do you know that it was their original thought? Gosh…people just like you and me could be thinking about something and the next day/month/year someone becomes famous for it, just because you didn't share how you thought at the time…You could have been that famous person, but you just didn't get there first or thought that it was impossible for you to do it. Speak up! Have a great thought? Share it for crying out loud!**

**AN: Hello, all. Sorry I haven't updated in a while…eek(sees death glares from the like so devilserpent and Nelly22)…LoL! The other day I was totally like, 'Oh, yeah! Short chappie! (Easier to type, yay),' but then I actually looked through the thought two chapters, 'Bloody hell!' LoL! I wrote 8 pages on spiral notebook paper(front and back; no skipped lines). Maybe that's just a lot to me though. I was so overwhelmed! See, I leave in a couple of days(I get to go to Florida for 3 weeks) to my great grandmother's. She's the greatest! But back to my author's note: Love my reviewers! (Gets on knees begging) So please don't give me the cold shoulder or whatnot because I haven't updated a lot more often. So sorry! The good thing about my trip is the fact that I will be able to finish the story down there and get it to where I won't want to revise it. Then, when I get back I can just type it all off!! (Looks through scrunched lids in hope of a positive response) Well, anyway…In the next couple of days(I only have 1) I will be trying to get Chapters 13-15 up and done. B'bye now!**

**I'll shut up now…**

**Chapter Twelve: Hogsmeade and Costumes**

"Draco, how does this one look?" asked Pansy, while turning around for the third time in the black and red ball gown. She was beginning to get ill with the small twirls she had to make constantly because of Draco's lack of interest.

Draco was staring out the window in a daze. He watched a trio walk by the dress store and head towards the Three Broomsticks, his silver eyes were locked onto one member in particular.

"Draco Malfoy!"

"What?" he snapped still not looking at her, but out the window. He didn't turn his head until the girl was out of view.

He looked up at her warily. "I've asked about this dress three times already!" she shrieked in exasperation.

Draco looked the dress over half-heartedly. A lace up front corset bodice and an A-line skirt made up the gown. The bodice was sleeveless and in a deep blood red with black appliquéd lace; the tie strings were black. The dress skirt was black and flowed loosely around her legs.

"Nice, Pans."

"Oh, you're such a dolt! You've said 'nice' about the last four!"

"Because they all are! I suppose this one is the best choice, though; considering you want to be an evil princess?" he said in self-defense.

"No…not _evil princess_; more along the lines of female vampire. But it's not like you were listening to me the first couple of times I told you that," she huffed moodily. Storming back into the dressing room, he could just here her muttering darkly about 'stupid boys.'

Pansy came out of the room looking slightly ruffled. Her long curls slipped from the tie holding them in place. "Darn it!" she gasped hooking the dress in the front of her blouse. Her fingers twisted her hair up expertly.

A small chuckle came from the seat Draco was occupying. His pale hands hid his smirk but not his bright silver eyes.

Pansy threw him a dirty look, but her expression quickly changed to that of evil ideas. Draco didn't like the way she was looking at him.

"Now, to find you something to wear," she said, a wicked glint was in her pale eyes.

Catching the glimmer, Draco looked at her pleadingly. "Can we at least take a break first?" The eyes got her.

"Oh, I suppose," sighed Pansy. She paid the woman at the counter, and then handed her bag to Draco with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes but didn't complain. Hey, he was getting out of there!

They headed to the Three Broomsticks in silence. Pansy sashayed triumphantly at his side. Entering was proven difficult, the room was packed with Hogwarts students and staff and the usual individuals.

Pansy started winding her way to the table Madame Rosemerta nodded them to, while Draco paid for their butter beers at the bar. He made his way slowly towards Pansy, holding the mugs high to avoid the bumps and elbowing he received.

He sighed, sitting down across from Pansy. She gave him a small smile. Draco scanned the room trying not to look interested.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting at a booth in the far corner. The boys were talking animatedly about something, while Hermione sat there not even looking interested but thoughtful.

"You like her don't you?"

The question brought him out of his daze with a crash. "What?" he asked looking up at Pansy.

"You like Hermione," she stated now, "Don't tell me you don't either. I can see it in your eyes. Plus, every time she comes within your eyesight, you gawk at her like she's a diamond in a pile of pebbles. You've never looked at someone like that before, Draco."

He drank the last of his butter beer in a gulp. When he set the mug down, he looked at her with silent calculation.

"Don't you even think of lying to me, Dray!" she exclaimed at his expression. His jaw slackened but was closed hurriedly with a snap.

"Now, why'd ya say that?" he asked trying to act hurt.

"Because you forget that I can read you like and open book most of the time. Anyway, your ears always prick when you start to fib."

He looked at her questioningly, before asking, "Always?"

"Well, not always. But you _do_ when you're lying about something you actually care about. But then again, you only do it occasionally then," Pansy rambled on not deciding whether he did or not.

He sat watching his friend babble on indecisively. Her blonde brows furrowed slightly.

She looked up at him again. "Well, do you or don't you?"

Draco smirked at her; mischief sparkled in silver pools. "Now, Pans, I thought you were oh so sure a moment ago."

Pansy's electric aqua eyes narrowed in mock anger. "Well, Dray," she said sickly sweet, "I was just trying to give you a chance to get your Hermione fogged brain cleared. But I guess I was right. Mark that I usually am when it comes to you."

Draco sighed and shook his head. Silver blond hair hid his liquid silver eyes. "I really don't know. I've never felt like I was able to trust anyone but you and my mother, but I feel like I can trust her."

"You can," Pansy said bluntly. She and Hermione had taken over the common room on more than one occasion. Draco never stayed amongst their silly giggles, but soon as he left it went to a darker topic. The topics varied nightly, they found it easier to tell each other the goof ups there guy friends made, but darker topics always rode forward concerning the brewing war. The girls had become close friends.

Draco nodded his head. "Well, let's go and get my costume," he said standing up and stretching. He picked up Pansy's bag and headed for the door.

She shook her head with a small smile. Pansy new he never really liked talking about his feelings, but she'd give him plenty of time.

**_Nelly22 DeMiGoD714 mystified by nature EndlessDeviltry devilserpent glory12783 vikesgirl TheElven1 Zoey_**

Hermione was tired of following Harry and Ron around. She was tired of their nonstop chatter on quidditch. To say the least, she was in an ill mood.

"Try-outs are tomorrow Harry!" exclaimed Ron for the third time, happily.

"Yes, I know, Ron. Considering I called it," Harry replied. He was now quidditch captain of Gryffindor and was trying to start practice as soon as possible.

The Gryffindor team consisted of Harry as seeker, Ron had improved at keeper, Ginny and a fourth year girl named Lucine were chasers with an open position, and the beater positions were open. They were a good team getting new players.

"Oh, will you two please talk about something else?" Hermione pleaded exasperatedly.

They both turned around and looked at her surprised. Harry smiled knowingly, but Ron looked at her shocked at the mere mention of there being something besides quidditch to talk about.

"I'm sorry guys, but that's all you've talked about for the past two hours."

"It's alright, Mione. It must get boring having to listen to something you aren't interested in," Harry said consolingly. Ron's red head turned to look sideways at Harry over Harry's shoulder, his mouth opened in mock outrage. Harry looked at him out the corner of his eyes.

A giggle escaped from Hermione. It soon grew to a full laugh; hers was light and bubbly, while her friends both were deep and clear.

Catching her breath, Hermione chocked out, "Okay, now we can go find my costume, boys."

"Yeah, sure. Where are you wanting to find one at?" Ron inquired, glancing around the street randomly. His blue eyes set longingly on the candy shop.

"Well, I was thinking about the new shop, Madame Gillian's Robes and Costumes," Hermione answered slowly.

"Oh, isn't that a new store?" Ron asked absentmindedly. He was staring contently through the sweets shop's window.

Harry and Hermione both looked at him with a strange sideways glance.

"Ron, you all right, mate?" Harry asked slowly.

"The junk food is calling his name, Harry," Hermione whispered behind her hand. That received a smirk from Harry.

Harry walked up behind Ron and grabbed him by the shoulders. He then proceeded to steer the drooling red head away from the now smudged window.

"Do you think with anything but your stomach, mate?" Harry asked with a grin. Ron was putting up a small fight while being pried off the glass.

A small chuckle came from behind Hermione's small hand that was attempting to hide her amusement. Her large amber eyes sparkled with her laughter.

After a while, Ron gave up his fruitless struggle and started walking with Harry and Hermione to the new shop in Hogsmeade. The gleaming sign above its door contrasted with the older, dusty signs of the other town shops. A glance through large windows showed multicolored robes to outrageous costumes.

Harry pushed the door open to let his friends pass. Somewhere amongst the rows and rows of clothes, a chime announced their arrival.

The door swung closed slowly behind the trio.

"Wow!" Ron exclaimed impressed as he took in the room with dark blue eyes.

The walls were a deep royal purple; flecks of gold were scattered all over. Dark hardwood floors were covered with thick eye-catching rugs that had spell colors flashing across them; the one underneath their feet flashed a bright Stupefy red before changing to a eerie Avada Kedavra green flashed only to be quickly replaced. The neat racks of costumes and robes were all arranged in a neat color-coded pattern that Hermione could appreciate any day. On the back wall was a series of arches that were closed off by more of the colored splashed black. In front of the dressing rooms was a large pile of large cushions that were about the size of ottomans in the deep purple, black, and gold. The counter next to the changing rooms was a black marble with more gold flecks. It doubled as a jewelry display. Above the dressing room, a chandelier like hat display showed off its hats that ranged from normal witches hat to the simply outrageous hats.

'Must have been in Hufflepuff,' Hermione noted in mild amusement. Once a Hogwarts student, always a Hogwarts student.

"Hello?" a soft voice called from an aisle.

"Umm…hi?" Ron called back. His friends looked at him skeptically. Sometimes they really doubted his brain's existence.

Hermione rolled her eyes and headed towards the aisle the voice came from. A small woman was crouched on the floor digging through a large box. She pulled out a pastel green and orange dress robe with distaste. The woman put it on a rack with other bad multicolored items.

She caught sight of Hermione and smiled warmly. Her blonde hair was long and framed her heart shaped face. Pale green eyes peeked out from under her long lashes. She definitely didn't look over thirty.

The young woman stood up and her forehead only reached Hermione's nose. "I'm Gillian…Gillian Granger. And your name is?" Gillian asked warmly. Her soft voice seemed to tinkle with a hidden power.

Hermione's eyes shot wide. "Granger?"

Gillian noticed the odd face and looked the younger girl in the eye. Her pale green eyes shot wide also. 'No! She can't be!'

"Yes, Granger. And your name?" she replied in a clipped get to the point tone.

"Hermione Granger," Hermione said slowly. She watched the woman's face contort through a wide range of emotions.

"What is your father's name, dear?" came Gillian's clipped tone again, as if it was practiced to hide emotions.

"Richard Granger," Hermione said uncomfortably, that pale gaze was unnerving.

Suddenly, Hermione found herself in a tight embrace. "Richard!" Gillian exclaimed happily, "I knew he wasn't dead…I knew it. But no one would believe me. Said I was nutters…"

Harry and Ron ran around the corner in a rush. They heard the shout and were never one's to take a chance. Both boys skid to a halt at the odd sight in front of them. A tiny woman was wrapped tightly around Hermione and appeared to be squeezing her with all her might. Hermione looked at them, confusion apparent in her amber eyes.

"Merlin! I'm sorry!" Gillian exclaimed, releasing the stunned girl quickly, "Now, look what I've done…you probably think I'm some Mungo's escapee."

"Umm…no?" Hermione said unsure what to ask or say.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" Gillian said, her brows dropped and her smile brightened the room, "Hi. I'm Gillian Granger, your father's little sister." She offered her hand with a grin.

All Hermione could manage was a feeble smile. She finally met the first person on her father's side. 'Weird, I've never met any of my family on either of my parents' sides,' she thought but shrugged it off figuring it was a spell.

"So how's your dad? I've told everyone for years that he was alive."

"He's fine. Did he not tell anyone that they went into hiding?" asked Hermione slowly.

Gillian had another quick mood swing; this time her face went somber. "No, after your he married your mum they kind of stole away. Everyone believed him dead. But I guess that's better than being caught by You-Know-Who."

The boys watched the woman ramble on with keen interest. Harry looked at her with his mouth slightly open.

Gillian took in Harry and Ron for the first time. "Oh, Hermione, are these your little friends?" she asked before she noticed their obvious stares, "Do I have something on my face?"

"Oh, no. They've never seen a real girl before," Hermione muttered slightly darkly. She was never looked at that way by anyone.

"I see…one of those things were 'lady friends aren't girls' things?" the older woman asked throwing the boys frequent glances from the corner of her eyes.

"It seems that way."

"Costume?"

"Yes, please."

"That's the ticket!" Gillian said beaming. She pulled Hermione off down another aisle, away from the boys. "Any idea as to what you want to be?"

"No, not really. I was just going to try and find something."

"Well, that's where I come in," the older female said with a light laugh, "That's why I'm in this business after all…"

Hermione and her new claimed aunt started rummaging down the color sorted aisles with a flurry. Not long after, Harry and Ron started in the search.

They had made it to a black rack. Ron and Harry were being their funny selves, messing with all sorts of odd outfits and dresses.

"How 'bout this one, Mione?" Harry said holding up a mini skirt and halter set that had matching slippers and hairpins. A smirk proved he wasn't serious.

"Watch this," Gillian mouthed, she pulled her wand out of her back pocket and muttered with a small flick in Harry's direction, "Aestuo."

Suddenly the set burst into flames; surprised Harry dropped it afraid of burns.

Gillian and Hermione both burst out laughing

"No, Harry. I don't think I want anyone dumping a bucket of water over my head."

Gillian sashayed over to the fallen outfit. Picking it up, she sent Harry a playful glare. Both boys' jaws dropped when she preceded the dust the clothing off. Her delicate looking hands passed through the sizzling flames unharmed.

"It's magic," she explained. Another flick of her small wrist put the fire out.

Both boys looked at Gillian with bemused expressions.

Hermione sighed in disgust. "At this rate I'll never get a costume."

Ron looked at the getup in his hands, then back at Hermione. "How bout this one?" he asked raising it up.

A black cat suit hung stiffly form the hanger hooked on Ron's hand.

Noticing Hermione's blush and doubtful look, Gillian whispered in her ear, "Try it on."

A small grin spread on her face. "Alright, then." She plucked the suit from his limp hands. The surprise on his face was priceless.

Hermione stalked off to the archways nervously. 'What am I getting myself into? This so isn't me…'

Outside the curtain, Ron grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck and practically dragged him to the large cushions.

"She's trying it on, 'Arry."

Gillian watched in apparent glee. 'Such silly little boys…'

Inside the dressing room, Hermione was anxious. She hadn't expected it to fit so…snugly. The black material hugged every curve of her body just right; or just wrong, in Hermione's case.

Heaving a sigh, she pushed open the curtain. 'Just to get this over with,' she assured herself, but a snide voice countered, 'But it was your idea!'

Stepping out was the hard part; acting oblivious to the boys' stares would be easy. Hermione smiled at the two, took a step out, did a small spin, and stood still in front of them again.

"What do you think?" she asked with a fake grin plastered on.

Both were silent for a moment.

"Well, Mione, it suits you," Harry concluded with a smile. Ron just stared at her, mouth agape.

Hermione switched her weight to her other leg, causing her hips to sway. "Ron?" she inquired nervously. The boy's glazed look was making her giddy.

Harry looked over at his best friend and laughed. Leaning over, he pushed Ron's mouth closed with his fingertips.

Ron shook his head vigorously.

"What, Mione?"

"What do you think, Ron?" she asked again, starting to smile genuinely.

"Nice," he said with a sheepish grin, "We're going to have to fight off the entire male populace of Hogwarts with that one."

Harry nodded in agreement and gave Hermione a brotherly wink.

Her skin burned in a blush at their compliments. She turned in a rush and hurried back into the changing room.

Gillian just nodded knowingly from behind her counter.

"You alright, mate?" Harry asked when the girl was out of sight.

"Yeah, Harry," Ron answered running a hand through his fiery hair, "It's just hard not being able to show my feelings for her, ya know? I know she doesn't have those feelings that way for either of us, but I can't help it! I'm trying to get over her, but that bloody suit didn't help any!" Ron looked into Harry's green eyes for understanding.

"We'll find you someone, Ron," Harry said encouragingly, patting him on his back.

Ron sighed, glad that he had Harry for that. He couldn't talk to Hermione about it could he? He couldn't without straining their friendship greatly, at any rate.

Harry was about to say more, when the curtain slid aside again. Throwing Ron a 'later' look, he turned to smile at the Hermione they were used to.

Ron nodded at Harry's glance and smiled weakly at Hermione.

"I don't think that one was what I'm looking for," she said with a small smile. 'No! Definitely not it! Hello, that was the understatement of the century!'

Ron smiled wide at her words.

"Do you mind staying longer?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Mione, you came for a costume, and you shall have a costume," Ron announced in a fake, announcer's voice.

They all laughed.

The small group split up among the many racks. Gillian went to catch up on things with Hermione as they looked.

Turned out that Gillian was just three years younger than Richard, they had been close. She had started up her own business and had finally managed to get her own building where she knew she'd get customers. Gillian asked and answered questions with a comfortable ease. Even though quite humorous, she had a deep serious, intelligent side that Hermione could relate to.

They started down an aisle that was nearly completely white. Hermione began her nearly robotic search again. Gillian was talking animatedly about her childhood with her brother.

With a faint rustle of fabric on her hands, she knew she had found it. The perfect costume for her; something she could do easily without feeling silly or embarrassed.

"Ooo…you've got a good one there," Gillian commented brightly over her shoulder.

'Perfect.'

**If you want more updates: Please read my author notes. Purty please! See, I ask questions and stuff so I can know who all has or hasn't reviewed more than once. If you don't read it and I see nothing in my reviews on what I said, I can't put your name in the story. So I repeat: Those who have reviewed me before you had a fanfic id need to inform me of your past review name and your present fanfic member name. It makes things so much easier. I ask this of you for the sake of not leaving anyone out. If you could careless…go on and review or whatever you usually do. TTFN!**


	13. Kiss in the Dark

**AN: Hey, ya'll! I'm back!!! Did ya miss me? I have now got chapters 13, 14, and a large chunk of 15. Good grief…I thought I'd get a lot more done going to my great grandmother's. So I guess this story is gonna go on at its annoyingly slow pace still. I'm sorry about the whole, 'plodding along,' pace that I seem to be in. I try, I really do. I'll hush up and get this done!**

**Chapter Thirteen: Kiss in the Dark**

Hermione looked herself over in the mirror with a grin.

Pansy bustled around her head with an artistic air. Bobby pins were held in her crimson lips as she curled, twisted, and pinned Hermione's chestnut locks up. Her light blue eyes sparkled with amusement under smoky lids, as she worked.

"Ah…done," Pansy sighed, pinning the last strand in place.

Hermione stood up to check out her whole reflection. Her bright amber eyes were brought out with a light silver shadow and dark liner. Her naturally dark lips looked dewy under a clear gloss. A beautiful Elizabethan gown graced her pale skin. A plunging neckline wasn't even able to mess up the happiness she felt. It's midnight sapphire crushed velvet flowed elegantly about her petite frame.

It had taken her a while to figure out the many layers of fabric of the gown. After the hoopskirt, chemise, and corset, Hermione was nearly lost. Then, Pansy had shown up and pulled the heavy gown over her head. Everything went in place after that. The white silver brocade, lined over sleeves nearly hid the dark satin under sleeves. The three panels of the underskirt had given her all the trouble. She now knew the satin panels went in the back and that the front panel matched the brocade of the over sleeves.

'Sheesh…'she thought, ' no wonder clothing has changed over the years!'

Pansy stepped in front of the mirror beside her with a contagious smile. Her red lips matched her dress perfectly. Her pale blonde hair was twisted up into two tight buns on either side of her head compared to the dark waterfall that was Hermione's hair.

"You both look splendid!" came the mirrors warm voice.

Hermione flashed a smile and gave Pansy a wink.

"Thanks for helping…well, fixing me up, Pans," Hermione said turning to face her.

"What're friends for?" the blonde replied with a smirk.

Catching a glimpse of Pansy's teeth, Hermione had an idea.

"Pansy, smile," she said pulling out her wand.

Eyeing the wand, Pansy forced a smile and raised a skeptical brow.

"Canus summito," Hermione pronounced with a flick of her wand. Immediately, Pansy's canines began to lengthen. Hermione averted her wand when she was satisfied with them.

"Much better," she commended, as she turned Pansy back around the face the mirror. She still didn't look too happy about having a wand tip pointed at her face.

The forced smile remained until she saw the spell's effect; it then grew genuine.

"Perfect," she murmured running her tongue across her pointy fangs, "I'll have to remember that one for Blaise."

They looked over one another, before leaving Hermione's room.

On her way down the stairs, Hermione fought with her layers but thanked the gods for flat slippers. She scanned the room for Draco. Not finding him, a frown played quickly across her face.

Pansy picked up her disappointment with no comment. She pulled Hermione out of the common room in a small hurry.

_**Nelly22,',',',','DeMiGoD714,',',',','mystified by nature,',',',','TheElven1**_

Draco was leaning back against the wall near the Great Hall's doors. He nearly blended in with the dark room's shadows. Every once in a while, you could catch a glimpse of his silver eyes behind an unusual dragon mask when an odd orb of light floated over his head.

The dark green coils of the dragon that formed his mask curved around his eyes. Its sharp tail tip rested on the bridge of his nose, and its reptilian head blinked cold yellow eyes at you from its spot on his forehead. He wore a black tuxedo with a dark green button down shirt. The pants hung loose around his legs, and his shirt and jacket fit his shoulders and chest snugly. His jacket was open and his shirt untucked. A black cloak hid him further into the shadows. Its dark hood was pulled up hiding his silver blond head; its silver lining brushed his pale face. The cloak was clasped at his throat by a metallic green dragon brooch.

He was attracting a lot of attention from the females already in the room. But to their dismay, they received not a glance back. He was only interested in one girl, and she had just walked in.

Draco knew it was she from her confident stride. In his eyes, she was the most gorgeous thing in Hogwarts. His opinion wasn't the only one.

Hermione glided closer, closely followed by Ginny Weasley, Harry, and Ron. A bright orb floated over the small party, illuminating the colors and shapes of their costumes. He couldn't help the arrogant smirk tugging his lips when he saw the colors of Hermione's dress.

"My favorite colors…how interesting…' he thought with some satisfaction.

It seemed that the other three were playing the part of muggles. Ginny wore a white tube tennis dress, and her brother and Harry matched, except for shirt colors. Harry's button down shirt was white, while Ron's was a dark blue. Both boys wore khaki cargo pants.

Hermione's head swiveled, taking in their hard work. A flashed smile meant she was happy with how her ideas played out.

Fewer eerie orbs of light, which drifted randomly around the room, replaced the usual floating candles. On each small table was miniature jack-o-lanterns who mouthed the bands lyrics and small cauldrons packed with Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.

Draco was just waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to dig into the cauldrons full of tricks. He'd already watched a young first year grow large steer horns and be rushed off to an adult by his friends. The poor things still hadn't learnt how to remove a spell.

Hermione sat down with her friends at a table surprisingly close by. None seemed to notice the boy nearly right beside them.

_**EndlessDeviltry,',',',','devilserpent,',',',','vikesgirl,',',',','glory12783**_

****

She was looking for him again. She found herself doing it more and more often, but as always, it seemed she never found him.

She sat back with a sigh, giving up her attempt to stare through all of the costumes.

"Mione, are you alright?" Harry asked looking concerned.

"Hmm?" Hermione mumbled, not looking at him but at a spot left of his ear in an unfocused daze.

'Where is he? He said he'd be here…'

"Hermione!" Harry's voice invaded once more.

"What?" she snapped disgruntled.

Both boys looked at her taken aback.

"Well…uh…Harry was just asking if everything was okay," Ron said, slowly scooting away from her slightly.

Her features softened a bit. "I'm sorry, boys. I was just thinking."

Harry whispered about the Prophecy so no one could hear, while Ron muttered something to the nature of, "'s no reason to bite someone's bloody head off." He thought about it literally and winced.

She turned to Harry, ignoring Ron. "Harry, I really don't want to discuss that right now."

Harry shrugged and the four sat in silence for a while, until Seamus and Dean plodded over with the latest quidditch news.

Ginny didn't last as long as Hermione thought she would; the redhead made her excuses and left the gradually growing chatter for her sixth year friends.

As the crowd of boys grew, Hermione began to feel uncomfortable. The combined body heat was suffocating her in her layered gown. She was getting so sick of their only topic and even the whole ball. She wanted…no, needed to get out.

"Guys," she hissed in Harry and Ron's general direction. Neither turned to look at her.

Ron and Seamus were now both standing over the table in each other's faces. Apparently, the comment Seamus made about the Chudley Cannons hadn't gone over too well with Ron. According to the redheads constantly darkening face, this argument would last a while.

Giving up, Hermione left the Great Hall nearly completely unnoticed; except for two pairs of eyes, one light blue the other deep silver.

She made the subconscious choice that the school grounds would be a great place to cool down. Before she knew it, Dumbledore's constructed maze loomed in front of her creepily. She had the option to go through the dimly lit and foggy maze or slip off to the lake.

The lake definitely won over the unintended obstacle course. No one in the right frame of mind would willingly want to stumble around in the dark, tripping over snogging couples hiding in the fog. Yes, the lake was the perfectly tranquil setting she needed.

**_Zoey,',',',','Jiji,',',',','Goddess-Hope,',',',','chocl8chps,',',',','Ireland's Child_**

****

Draco watched silently as the object of his attention slipped out of the room. Staying as far as way as possible without losing her out of sight, silent as a cat, he followed her

An uneasiness settled in his stomach as he realized that she wasn't going into the protected maze but out onto the unwatched grounds. Draco followed still finding that it wouldn't be wise to leave her alone. He watched her reach the lakeshore. He kept his distance still, as not to startle her.

Hermione stood motionless at the lake's edge. Her calm face was illuminated by the moon's pale blue light. A tree cast shadows behind her.

A cool breeze whipped across the lakes calm surface making the dark tendrils of Hermione's hair flutter loose. A shiver ran the length of her spine. She reached up and pulled the remaining pins from her dark tresses, letting them spill down her back in loose curls.

When he first started following her, he had just wanted to watch. Now, he wanted to touch her.

She stared out across the lake's dark, still surface, which reflected the large full moon in its deep waters. Clouds blanked out parts of the starry sky.

Draco crept up behind her to lay his warm cloak over her pale shoulders. He felt them tense under his light touch. A smirk spread across his face at the mere prospect of scaring the fearless Gryffindor. He knew he had the shadows to his advantage.

Hermione spun around slowly, brow furrowed in uncertainty. She couldn't see the details of his face.

"Would you like some company?" Draco asked with a smile.

"Well…Yes, actually," she returned with a tilt of her dark head. A small smile graced her lips but the uneasiness never left her amber eyes. "Why aren't you in the hall?"

"I thought I'd follow you out," he answered truthfully.

Hermione looked up at him warily but with questioning eyes. "What ever for?"

"I didn't think it wise for you to come out on your own," was his straightforward reply, "And, may I ask, why you came out?"

She shrugged her small shoulders, while answering, "I don't know, really. I just felt like I needed to come out here. There's too much going on in there at once, and I'm not much for parties, anyway."

"I know what you mean. I've never been one for all the action and everything, but I do like to dress up." He didn't comment on the 'special occasions', which he was made to attend

He was enjoying himself immensely. Draco knew Hermione still didn't know who he was by the careful tone in her voice.

"Who was your date?" she probed at a bruised spot innocently.

"Oh…I came alone," he said tightly.

She was silent for a moment before asking, "Why?"

Draco felt a pang of jealousy at the answer to her question; it was a feeling he rarely had. "The girl I wanted to take was already taken."

"And who, if I may ask, was your choice date?" she asked. He could see the pity in her soft amber eyes.

'Oh, you weren't expecting that one. Now, were you, good boy?' his mind taunted him. Draco thought fast, but again he found the truth was the easiest option.

Hermione started to look uncomfortable in his intense, thoughtful silence. Then he answered, "Err…well, it was you, Hermione."

"Oh…well…umm…" she muttered clearly flabbergasted, before looking up at him and asking, "Really?"

"Yes…" Draco began with strong feeling and no hint of embarrassment. He sank in her warm amber eyes.

With no restraint left, Draco leaned down and caught her lips with his. A small cloud drifted in front of the moon, hiding the pair from prying eyes in darkness.

Emotions he didn't know he had were poured into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her; one hand ran through her chestnut hair.

Draco's tongue slid teasingly across Hermione's bottom lip, asking for permission, which she gave. Their tongues danced in a fierce battle to the beats of their hearts.

His mind was a whirlwind of incoherent thoughts. An inner war came with the knowledge that he would regret it later versus the feeling of it being amazingly right. All his thoughts came to a screeching halt as thoughts of how she would feel filled his mind. He broke off.

She stared at him breathlessly wit confusion and curiosity fused eyes.

Draco was for the first time at a loss. No understanding came with what had happened, just pure and complex confusion.

Before Hermione could say anything, Draco found her small hand in the dark and kissed her knuckles tenderly.

"Good evening, Hermione," he heard himself say. And with that, he turned and left.

Draco cursed himself silently all the way back to the castle. "You shouldn't have left her confused!" his conscience kept screaming uselessly.

He didn't return to the ball, though. He wasn't in the mood for people; his own thought and feelings needed straightened out.

Before heading upstairs, Draco waited in the shadows of the staircase for Hermione to come in.

His cloak was still wrapped around her shoulders, and she seemed not to notice. He knew she was deep in though because of her furrowed brows. She passed within feet from him at a fast pace.

After the doors closed behind her, Draco started for the common room to think.

**_Teej,',',',','Boo,',',',','Dearest_**

****

Dumbledore watched as one of the brightest students he had ever had slipped unnoticed out of the room. Then with even more interest, he watched the shadow that hung by her table slip off and out the door behind her.

A knowing and amused smile crept across the old man's wrinkled face.

**AN: The last little time separator was made special for my great boyfriend of 15 months. Dearest is my lovely term of affection when angry. LoL! I'm a freak! I actually hadn't originally written the last little bit, but I thought it up and it fit. B'bye, now!**


	14. Games for Two

**AN: Hey, again! I forgot to tell ya'll that: if ya want to see Mione's costume, go to arcanelore.com and look for the Elizabethan gowns, then look up The Carla. Aighto, to the story you go! I only had one time change in this chappie and I couldn't fit all of my lovely reviewers on it, so please don't feel offended or such.**

**Chapter Fourteen: Games for Two**

Hermione stepped into the dark room quietly. The fireplace provided the only flickering light in the room.

The ball had ended at midnight, but Hermione had been visiting in Gryffindor tower. She had hid in the sixth year girls' room with Ginny.

When she had returned to the Great Hall, she was flagged down immediately by an extremely red faced Ron. Hermione had hesitated before joining, unable to tell whether it was laughter or his extreme temper causing the ghastly shade of red. Going closer, she had seen the happily streaming eyes of both of the boys.

Ron tried futilely to tell her what was so funny. Most of the time, all he could manage was indistinguishable rambling between body quaking fits of laughter. Finally, Harry was able to break in and tell her about Crabbe and Goyle's episode with Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. He pulled a wizard picture from his shirt pocket and showed it to her with shaky hands.

Apparently, the two greedy lugs had managed to eat more of the sweets after their first pieces and hadn't stopped. An obviously seething Potions Master was dragging the two mutated boys out of the Great Hall doors. Crabbe had flaming green hair and was spitting pretty-pink bubbles, and Goyle had an extremely large purple tongue and was bald. But somehow, both had eaten more. It was quite amazing that the twins were able to come up with enough mutations as not to have anyone with the same problems.

All she had managed was a meek smile. Then, Harry had started in on her again with his-at the time annoying-worried expression. That was when Ginny had come to her rescue.

She abandoned her thoughts as she hung up her heavy gown. She had had to change in Ginny's dorm because she had needed assistance out. Hermione wore her pajamas through the empty dark halls.

Being too wired to sleep, Hermione snatched up her book and started down the stairs in bare feet.

Hermione was heading to the loveseat. The couch would be too lonely without Draco's usual presence. She gasped in surprise, finding it occupied.

There on the loveseat lay the boy that had kissed her. He was stretched out on his back, fast asleep. His feet hung off the end.

Her mind buzzed in confusion, but it stopped short when she recognized the silvery blond hair that fell across his face. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to think, but a queer smile spread slowly across her lips.

'What's going on?' her brain whined in disbelief and utter confusion.

With a small sigh, she decided it was best not to wake him. Hermione looked at him with some concern, thinking of him sleeping on the couch. The castle was getting chillier in the late autumn months.

Careful not to startle him, she pulled her Hogwarts fuzzy throw off the back of the seat. She gently tucked it around him, but its small size wouldn't cove him completely. 'His socked feet will just have to freeze,' she thought with slight satisfaction. Payback's a charm.

**_TJ,',',',','Lace,',',',','Whitney,',',',','Jess,',',',','Jay-bo_**

****

Draco had woken up as soon as he felt someone near him. He had always been a light sleeper, but the recent years of Lucius's malcontent with him and the months of Hermione's nightmares had set him on edge. He hadn't moved because he didn't yet know the identity or purpose or the intruder.

As Draco heard the person start to turn away, a hand shot out and caught a surprisingly thin wrist. He let go quickly, when his actions were awarded with a less than dignified feminine yelp.

"Stay," he commanded through a feline stretch that took hold of his slight frame. When he opened his eyes, he was met with the clearly displeased, amber eyes of Hermione Granger.

"Were you up the entire time?" she demanded impatiently tapping a bare foot on cold stone.

"Well," he said with a serious face, "That depends on what you define as 'entire time'."

"Don't you get smart with me, Draco," she said coldly.

"Well, it is a logical…" he began, but was quickly interrupted, "Oh, hush up and answer the question."

He gave her his trademark smirk and a calculating look before drawling out, "Hmm…I suppose I was, since a person with little patience won't give me a definite time period."

Draco was rewarded with a potent glare.

"Alright, alright…I was up as soon as you were close, but I was really up as soon as those gentle, little hands of yours were on my body."

A deep blush warmed Hermione's creamy cheeks. She wasn't expecting him to put it that way.

"I was afraid you'd get cold," she said. Suddenly her toes were the most interesting things in the room.

Draco looked her over unnoticed. She was wearing dark green, silk pajama pants with a black, fitted shirt. 'Potter and Weasley definitely don't know what she sleeps in,' he thought with some contentment.

Hermione, over her embarrassment, nudged him over and lay down beside him, facing him.

"I didn't see you at the ball," she lied lamely. He caught the fleeting glance she cast at his clothing.

'Damn it! Why didn't I change?' he thought angrily as the unwanted realization dawned on him. She was just too observant.

"You're lying," he acknowledged with a raise of an eyebrow. 'Just keep it cool…'

Hermione's eyes caught a wicked gleam. "Technically, I didn't 'see' you at the 'ball'."

A small smirk curved his mouth, thought he wasn't exactly fond of the new topic. He was caught.

"Why did you do it?" she asked softly, mischievous glint gone.

"I felt like I was supposed to," he answered truthfully.

The look on her face told that she wasn't satisfied. Truthfully, neither was he.

Minutes ticked by in uncomfortable silence. Finally, Draco intervened.

"Listen, Mione. I'm sorry for leaving you confused, okay? I should have never left you confused." He blatantly didn't apologize for the kiss.

She just stared at him with simple understanding. She had filtered the apology with an amazing acceptance. That's when he realized that she felt the same way. Both felt the odd connection forming.

"What's odd is, I dreamt about it," Hermione said quietly.

"Really?" he asked in surprise. Draco left the uneasy dread that was forming in the pit of his stomach for later observation. Could all of her dreams come true?

"Yes. Remember that night we slept in the Hospital Wing?" at his nod she continued, "The funny thing is, I never remembered it today."

"Well, there's nothing to worry about, right?" he asked trying to give her false comfort.

"Right," she agreed a little bit less down cast. A peaceful silence filled the room as the two Heads had their own private thoughts. A long yawn form Hermione broke the spell.

"I think its time for bed," Draco announced with a glance at his watch, which read 2:27.

A nod was the only response he got from the lolling Hermione.

With a smile, Draco scooped her up into his arms. She snuggled into his neck with a sigh.

Nearly up the stairs, Draco let out a soft groan. Obviously, Hermione didn't wear something to bed. It was obvious through her tight shirt as she started reacting to his body heat. Her warm breath tickled his neck as she squirmed closer in his arms.

She was going to pay for his discomfort, which originated mainly from his groin.

"Got you all hot and bothered in your nightwear, didn't I, Mione?" he drawled smoothly.

Suddenly, a sharp pain came from where his neck joined his shoulder. She had bit him!

He looked down and was met with the evil grin Hermione was sporting when she was supposed to be asleep. It wasn't fair! He thought she had been.

"Shit, Mione! That hurt!" Draco complained as he tossed her with indignity onto her bed. She'd left a 'nice' little mark.

"You forget that two can play at your games," she said with a prize-winning smile.

All he could do was shake his head and smile.

"G'night, Draco," she sighed, as she wriggled under her covers.

"Good night, Hermione," Draco returned before he shut the door.


	15. More to a Dream

AN: Hey, all! I'm sorry it has taken 21 days, to update! I hit a major writer's block and I was sitting on it longer than I would like. Try, 20 days longer! I ground out some sentences every once in a while, though. So, don't kill me if this is a horrid chapter! I will be responding to reviews at the end. I'm sorry I didn't do that sooner. Read on! Quick Edit is not letting me put anything in bold letters. It won't even let me save a change! So, it might be difficult to read!

Chapter Fifteen: More to a Dream

Draco woke up with a start. A piercing scream echoed in his room through the wall.

It had been nearly four weeks since the ball, and Hermione's dreams had become so intense that a potion was no longer able to keep them away.

With a tired sigh, he stood up and started his near nightly errand of checking in on her. It hadn't been long until her realized he could jump from his landing to hers for a quicker check-up. A fall would land him on the large pile of pillows and cushions below.

He leapt across and landed with a rough grace, which he didn't manage often. It was worse on his more sleep-deprived nights. Occasionally, Hermione would come out at the racket he made, to find him in a heap at her door.

Draco opened her unlocked door and hurried to her bedside.

The sight before him made his chest clench. Hermione lay curled in a fetal position in the middle of her large bed. Her wide eyes stared wildly into the empty air before her bed, unseeing.

Draco rushed to the bed and pulled the trembling girl onto his lap. She started at his touch, but soon she rested her head on his bare chest and wept, releasing her pent up emotions.

He didn't know what this one was about, but it seemed to be the worst so far. All he could do was rub her back until she fell asleep or calmed down.

A small hiccup caught in her throat. She looked up into his silver eyes, reached up with a small hand, and touched his cheek as if making sure he was real.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly. He received a slow nod, but before he could react, her head was buried in the nape of his neck once more.

"Oh, Draco, it was awful," was her muffled words.

"Shh…everything is alright," he said stroking her hair gently, "It was just a dream." The lie caught in his throat. He knew good and well that that wasn't what they were.

She looked up at him unbelievingly.

_Nelly22 glory12783 devilserpent mystified by nature_ _EndlessDeviltry_ _vikesgirl_

Hermione was standing in front of a window. Moonlight flowed through its open doors, bathing her in the surreal light. Dark drapes flapped roughly in the cool breeze. Gooseflesh pricked the skin on her arms.

"Hello, there," a silky voice said behind her. She spun around to face the hooded figure emerging from the shadows. His steady hand pointed its dark wand at her chest.

Hermione stood absolutely still. Her heart started to pound in her ears.

"Where's your _friend_?" the man hissed coldly, "You are in his room, you know. We weren't expecting to catch you too, just the sniveling little traitor, tonight. The Lord will be so pleased to have another _guest_."

This was her ticket. 'The evil man seems to like his own voice. Just keep him talking,' she thought fast. 'No matter how venomous he sounds,' she added as an after thought.

"What makes you think he'll come?" she asked carefully, praying he would.

"Now, my dear girl, why would you be in here? And they said you were so smart…you're nothing but a little whore."

His words stung, but she kept up her unmoved façade.

Suddenly, the door swung open, followed by a flood of light, making the two occupants blink to adjust. A boy was standing in it; a broom rested over one broad shoulder. He paused only for a second, before pulling out his wand and hurling a curse at the man.

The deatheater was flung through the air, his cloak billowing around him. He hit the wall with a sickening crack; the man remained conscious but breathing heavily on the floor.

The boy ran to Hermione in a blur and grabbed her around the middle. "Trust me!" he yelled, before he chucked her out the window.

She let out a terrified shriek as the ground came up to meet her. Immediately behind her, the boy dove out the window. Hermione watched in awe through horror as he positioned the broom under him.

Seconds ticked by sluggishly.

The broom fell in the spiraling dive carrying the boy with it. His face showed sheer determination mingled with panic. Catching up, he snatched her out of the air expertly. He clutched her to him with one arm, continuing their frenzied escape.

Hermione clung to him. Even though she was scared out of her wits, the annoyingly calm part of her told her it was the fastest escape route. She had no clue how the man was in the room, but she did know they were after her savior.

A bright blue light whirled by. The heat off it was scorching. The deatheater had taken mere seconds to revive.

The boy pulled out of the dive and shot through the air like a bullet. He weaved serpentine through the night air with an uncommon ease. The man would be presented with a much tougher moving target.

Hermione saw the dark forest looming increasingly closer. Its trees stood with an eerie, menacing silence.

Almost directly over the tree line, the broom lurched sideways and started losing altitude. Someone was jinxing the broom!

He strove for control, but it still rushed at the treetops. They crashed through the foliage with a crunch. They fell at a breakneck speed.

The broom hit a large, lower branch and tipped forward, flinging them off.

The students hit the ground hard. Hermione was winded and bruised, but the boy wasn't about to stop. He yanked her up by her arms and started running, her hand in his.

"We can't stop!" he shouted over his shoulder, "They never come alone!"

He drug her on deeper into the trees. Her sore muscles protested futilely.

_Goddess-Hope_ _Ireland's Child_ _chocl8chps_ _DeMiGoD714_ _TheElven1_

The dream had continued on, like all her others, all the way to her capture.

She still didn't know who the boy was, but she did know he was very important to her.

The thing that had scared her the most was the flying; Hermione wasn't a flier at all. The ground was definitely her friend. What got her more was all of it could and probably would happen.

Calming down, she settled against Draco's hard chest. She felt him sight in relief and settle back against the headboard relaxing. The gentle tattoo of his heart lulled her.

Something pressed sharply into her hair. She fidgeted uncomfortably, trying to move her head away. Draco grunted through his light doze, for her to sit still. She was driving the object into his skin.

Hermione sat up and twisted around to examine the disturber of the peace. Draco's eyes fluttered open lazily to watch her.

The object caused her heart to skip a beat. It was a small white diamond pendant in the shape of a fang. She touched it with questioning fingers.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, his necklace still in hand.

"It's an heirloom, through my father's side," Draco answered drowsily, surprised by her interest. He looked at her inquiringly.

She nodded, her eyes large. Slowly, she pulled on a silver chain at her throat. A small black jewel hung at its center. Her thin and nimble fingers sought for the pendant blindly. When she found it, Hermione sat up and turned around to face him. Knees resting on either side of his ribcage, she put them together.

Draco watched her with mild interest. His head and shoulders were propped up on the headboard.

A held breath escaped Hermione's pink lips when nothing happened. But she rocked back in surprise when a thin line of light twisted between the jewels. She sat on Draco's lower abdomen still shocked.

Draco's flesh jumped at the unexpected contact. 'Okay, this is the most comfortable, yet uncomfortable position in the world,' echoed through both through both their minds.

Hermione jumped off him quickly. "What did you say?" she gasped form the floor, where she fell. He gaped at her wide-eyed.

"I didn't say anything," he said slowly. Draco was unsure of how to act with her in this state.

She eyed him warily. Picking herself off the floor with an aristocratic air, she settled herself on the edge of the bed.

Hermione thought fast, 'Nothing happened, so everything is alright.' 'Wrong!' came the annoyed voice of her conscience, 'Since when do you hear things unsaid?' 'Since just a moment ago?' 'Right! Now, you can solve the rest.'

Draco watched emotions playing across her expressive face; it looked as if she were waging an inner war.

Suddenly, she looked up at him with calculating eyes. She crawled carefully across him, to sit in the center of the bed. Hermione paid Draco's steady, silvery gray gaze, no heed. By his side, she slowly reached and touched his pale cheek. Her soft touch was nearly a caress.

'…is she up to? Officially, Granger has lost it…'

Hermione yanked her hand back. A small frown flitted across her face at the use of her surname.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Granger?" Draco snapped irritably. He was loosing precious sleep.

"Do you not hear it, 'Draco'?" she spat in annoyance. 'So it's going to be Granger when you're perturbed, eh? Well, you can be bouncing ferret, once more!'

"Touch me," she commanded impatiently. He looked at her as is she'd said something off the wall.

Hermione rolled her eyes in frustration and grabbed his hand. She dropped it on her leg in a huff.

'Merlin, he can be so dense sometimes!' she thought furiously, with the twisted satisfaction that he would hear.

"Hey! I resent tha…" he began before fading out as the obvious became even more so. "Your mouth didn't move…"

"Way to state the obvious, Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed amusedly (she didn't have the heart to call him ferret), "We so need to call up the Daily Prophet! I can hear it now…Draco Malfoy, son of the infamous Lucius Malfoy, is not blind! He has claimed to be able to see what's there. Observant chap, that boy."

The stern scowl wilted on his unusually expressive face. "Now, that's not nice. And everyone has been so keen to protect you from the big, bad Slytherin. Merlin, Mione, your tongue alone is sharp enough to mortally wound a fellow."

Hermione beamed at him. "We are hearing one another's thoughts through physical contact. I believe it is because of the necklaces' enchantment. Did your father tell you anything, when he gave it to you?"

"To the point as always," he commended with a smile, before continuing, "No, not really. He said that it had an enchantment on it that would only surface if its match were found. He didn't seem to thrilled about passing it on; never was one on letting any type of power slip through his fingers."

Hermione shuddered at the thought of the man.

"Do you think we have the pair?"

She answered with a slow nod.

"Okay?" Draco said loudly. He got up and clapped his hands together as if trying to ward off the usual silence.

"It would be interesting to know why the necklaces were made," Hermione said aloud, more musing to herself than Draco.

He flopped down on the bed again, stretching out across it. "Is information and knowledge all you think about?" Draco asked teasing, trying to lighten to mood. His attempt stumbled and nearly fell flat, until the corners of her mouth twitched in a smile.

"No. And, now, I really do not like the idea of you being able to hear them."

"Aw…does ickle Hermione have something to hide?" Draco taunted with a humorous smirk. 'You do,' his mind chided him nastily. He turned on his side to watch her squirm. To his disappointment, she wasn't.

She looked at her clock, which read 5:48am, with a blank stare. Hermione turned towards him with a calculating, glassy stare. No, she wasn't looking at him but past him.

Draco turned his head, as if in slow motion. When he caught sight of the bathroom door, his eyes widened in realization. Hermione leaped lithely over him and darted to the door at full speed. Draco struggled to get up and fell to the floor, feet tangled in Hermione's comforter.

The door slammed triumphantly behind her.

"Hermione!!! That's not fair! I always take the first shower, lately," Draco whined from the floor. He stood up carefully, wind milling his arms to keep balance on the slippery comforter.

Draco kicked the cumbersome blanket off his feet and made his way towards her door (%AN: Only the person who occupies the opposite room's door disappears%). His knuckles pounded the woodwork without a tune, loudly. Receiving no response, Draco pressed his hear to the door.

"…

And if I try to save him

My whole world could cave in

It just ain't right

It just ain't right

Oh, when I don't know

I don't know what he's after

But he's so beautiful

Such a beautiful disaster

And if I could hold on

Through the tears and the laughter

Would it be beautiful?

Or just a beautiful disaster?

His magical myth

As strong as with I believe

A tragedy with

More damage than a soul should see

And I do try to change him

So hard not to blame him

Hold on tight

Hold on tight

Oh, when I don't know

Oh, when I don't know

I don't know what he's after

But he's so beautiful

Such a beautiful disaster

And if I could hold on

Through the tears and the laughter

Would it be beautiful?

Or just a beautiful disaster?

I'm longing for love and the logical

But he's only happy hysterical

I'm waiting for some kind of miracle

Waited so long

So long

He's soft to the touch

But frayed at the end, he breaks

He's never enough

And still leaves more than I can take

Oh, cuz I don't know

I don't know what he's after

But he's so beautiful

Such a beautiful disaster

And if I could hold on

Through the tears and the laughter

Would it be beautiful?

Or just a beautiful disaster?

He's so beautiful

Such a beautiful disaster."

Hermione was singing loudly over the gushing shower. Pulling back, Draco shook his head with a smile.

"Hermione singing in the shower? What's going to happen next?" he thought aloud.

AN: Okay, for those who might be interested: The song was by Kelly Clarkson, "Beautiful Disaster". Now, to my responding…(Responses will only be from the last two chapters.)

Nelly22: Thank you! You are an awesome reviewer! What, 12 review, so far!! I love making my characters whatever I want them to be. That's such a great feeling, the I have peeples like you telling me ya like it. (Smiles cheekily) You forget that I can be evil if I wanna!! Whahahaha! Draco left her confused, well-as you probably already know- because he was confused himself. But shame on him, anyway! Oh, and this cliffy was on purpose. See…I have to have something to write on next chapter (Smiles annoyingly), and what better to write about the day? Ta, Ta for now!

Devilserpent: Word won't let me type your name in lowercase! You are second runner up in most reviews with 9! Congrats! I need to put you on my alerts list…Remind me next review if I still haven't! Thank you for you remarks on chapter 13. Made me feel good, those did. Sensitive guys are the best! I'm glad you like long review…LoL…I do too, plus, I tend to give them. I hope you enjoyed Tennessee!! I live here after all! Writers' block sucks, don't it? Erm…I'm not sure if I can do a Hermione/Draco 'getting it on scene'. I'm not the best at that sort of stuff, and it is my first fic. But, LoL, I just may squeeze it in! I change my mind too often! I'll check your story in a minute to see if you've updated! Bye!

Glory12783: Like devilserpent's name, Word won't let me type it correctly (lowercase anyway.) I'm glad you enjoy my fic! And you are third runner up with 8 reviews! Yay! I feel loved! I loved writing chapter 13 and 14 was just as fun! I'm so glad I actually did 'okay' on chapter 13! I don't want to kill my reviewers!! That wouldn't be cool at all. Then I'd get none, and you'd be dead. JK…I get a bit overdramatic sometimes. And Hermione biting Draco was great fun writing! I think he deserved it, don't you? LoL… B'bye!

Vikesgirl: Argh…stupid Word! I'm having name difficulties… I'm glad you liked chappie 13 and all. Sorry I didn't give anymore party though. I couldn't think of much that could have gone on, but if you read chapter 14 (LoL) you'd see that one thing did! I could picture that scene all to well. I'm glad you liked the outside scene, too! Whew…takes a load off me, knowing it was liked! I so intend to keep it up!

TheElven1: Hey, girl! I'm so lucky to have a great friend like you! Yeah, I try not to change it too much, but if it doesn't fit with the new flow out it goes, ya know? I don't know if I'll see you on MSN or not before, you see this, but I've read and revised your excerpt. And you think, 'finally!' JK Just get on and all when you want it! It's not anything big; your writing is good enough without my obsessive detailing! LoL. Talk to you sometime!

Goddess-Hope: Thanks a bunch! So glad you liked my orbs! Don't they sound so 'Halloweeny' to you? I hope that you saw in my author's not in chapter 14 that told those you want to 'see' the dress could go to a certain site. If not, tell me in your next review! B'bye!

Heartbreaker4life: I will! LoL! As long as you keep reviewing! JK… It's not a requirement, but it does keep me happy. Thanks for your support and remark! REVIEW again so you can be on my list! Tootles!

EverlastingxLight: Thanks! I'm sorry that you did have to wait… Stupid writers' block should be blown up! Keep up your reviewing!

Rupertsgirlie: Yet another name Word wants to change! Oops, I'm sorry that you had to wait so long, again! Yeesh, I know it annoys me sometimes, so I'm sorry. I'm glad you have taken an interest, though. I hope I can keep you interested. Chapter a coming out slow right now… Hope to see you review again!

Bella: Another name… Anyway, nah…you didn't lose me! I'm still fiddling around somewhere! I try to grind out chapters, but it ain't going too well right now. As you've probably noticed! Search option rules! Toodle-loo!

Ireland's Child: Thank heavens it's captivating! LoL… Wow! Could it possibly be boring? Nah, I'm teasing! I hope you continue to find it of interest! B'bye!

Snakeyes: Whoa! Thanks! I get that happy dance feeling in me every time I get that extreme compliment! I love to read and write, and having someone say I'm good at the latter makes my day. I'm so glad you enjoy my fic. Hope to see you review this chap!

Lady Selene Li: Thanks for reading what I have managed to get up! I apologize, but I might be going a bit slow from this chapter on, I don't anything prewritten any more! I'm trying on the fluff… It being my first fic, I'm still a bit nervous about everything I write. In that constant nervous state, you could say. I hate failing! Hope you continue to enjoy… I will get more, fluffy soon, but then edgy once more when everything starts getting wild! Bye!

And to all of you I never responded to, I apologize. I didn't ever think about forming responses. And now, I know I enjoy doing so. So look forward if you can, to me responding! Until next time!


	16. Feelings Let Loose

**Chapter Sixteen: Feelings Let Loose**

_Author's note: Hey, everyone. I apologize about the extremely long delay in updating this fic. I hope I wasn't given up on, for I am going to continue this story. A lot has been going on in my life, and that is my only excuse. Now, I solemnly swear that I will not ever post a fic without finishing it completely before the first post. I really don't like this chapter because it was forced out, but I always try to improve when I type it up. Til my next chapter!_

Hermione hugged Harry and Ron in a ferocious happiness. This would be the first time in two years that she didn't accompany them to the Burrow, were they always spent their holidays. While they ate Mrs. Weasley's wonderful homemade meals and enjoying lazy days indoors, she and Draco would be spending their time at Hogwarts.

Though she didn't know why they were to stay, Dumbledore had just asked if they would remain. She loved the short tradition her friends held, but she could never bring herself to go against the old man's wishes. And, she wouldn't dream of letting Draco go back to the Manor with his vile excuse of a father.

"Well, I hope you enjoy your holidays, Mione…" Ron said; his hand rubbed the back of his neck in nerves. Hermione knew he still held a slight grudge against Draco, but she just let it lay because it was easier to.

Hermione flashed them both a brilliant smile. "I hope you two do as well. And, please, don't get into any trouble. Your mother has a hard enough time as it is trying to feed all of you at once, she can't do everything at once."

"Yes, Hermione," the boys said in union, both held a teasing air. One last group hug was shared before they both hopped in the nearest black carriage.

She watched the line of carriages wind their way down to the Hogsmeade train station. There, most of the Hogwarts students would be heading home or to relatives' or the homes of their friends.

On her lonely trip back up to the school, she started to feel less alone. Hermione could feel his eyes on her. Some comfort was given through his watchfulness. She looked up knowingly at a certain tower of Hogwarts, a tower in which she lived. In a large window, she could just make out the form of someone with silvery hair.

A genuine smile flitted across her face, thinking of him. Draco Malfoy, a mystery she'd probably never tire of trying to solve. She enjoyed the challenge that was trying to decipher his emotions.

She mulled in her thought of him all the way up to the commons. The few people that passed her in the halls just stared at the Head Girl. She didn't even notice for she was happily thinking of her friends, eyes glazed over in a daydream.

As soon as she reached the portrait, she said the password and entered into a gradually dimming room. Her eyes landed on the boy who occupied he thought and her heart leapt up into her throat.

**AN:** I wrote this to take up space to show that I have made a change in view point!

Draco watched Hermione through the common room's window. He watched almost enviously the easy air that flowed between the friends below. Though he knew that they all felt like siblings, he couldn't help but feel more for the chestnut haired girl who was hugging them again.

He watched as she turned away from the end of the carriage line, to head back to the castle. Somehow, she knew he was watching her. He must have been burning holes into her the way he watched every movement she made. When she looked up at him, he couldn't control the feeling of elation that jolted through him.

Draco grinned broadly when he saw the soft smile form on her face. He knew he'd fallen for her; he'd fallen hard. But he tried fighting the tumble with nearly everything he had because he could not bear the thought of his father even getting close to knowing of the best thing in his life.

Almost as an ill omen, the Malfoy family's black eagle owl, Delano, came swooping into his view. Seeing the graceful, dark bird, he was reminded of his father. Dread hit the pit of his stomach like a lead weight. He knew what this was about; he had known that it was coming closer for months.

Delano flapped past him and landed on the arm of the couch. His talons raked roughly against the soft leather.

Draco went to untie the sealed envelope from the birds black feet. Nearly as soon as he was free, the bird took off past Draco's face. Obviously, his father wasn't planning on any discrepancy, so didn't believe a letter should be sent in return. Lucius's cold and immaculate handwriting curved across the front of the envelope, the Malfoy crest was stamped on the crease.

He flopped back on the couch with a heavy sigh. He could feel the two parts of him-one, which always wanted to please his father and the other that had its own firmly set ideals, pulling him into different directions. It began to get harder to fight the more he thought, for Lucius was a very persuasive man. He wasn't one who would just let go his wants.

Breaking the seal was the last thing that he wanted to do. It would just prove that his life was currently running on the edge of hopelessness. He slowly ran his finger under the sealed edge, opening the letter. Unfolding it seemed to be another heavy step into despair.

The letter was a request for him to come home over the weekend. A weekend in which his dreams would come true, so said his father's pristine scrawl. Draco snorted in disapproval. He never wanted to see this weekend come up.

He clutched his hands in his hair and leaned his weight on his knees. The burden of all his thoughts was beginning to get to him. What ifs rushed through his mind like an obstacle course.

Then he heard the portrait open, Hermione was with him. Bleakness settled over him again as he thought that not even the cleverest witch Hogwarts was ever to see could not help him. He could sense her presence like a guiding light in the dark, but he could not tell where she was in the room. Draco wasn't aware of her approach until the couch depress beside him.

A small hand settled on his shoulder, it gave him contact that he so needed. "Draco, are you alright?" she questioned softly.

With a deep sigh, he said, "Yes, everything is just fine…"

"Draco," she interjected, "Don't put up your walls, please. I want to help."

He snorted in rejection of her preposterous idea. "Oh, yeah? How, pray tell? Are you going to smite down Voldemort with love? Bend my father with a tirade on equality? There is nothing you can do, Granger."

Hermione tensed up, he could feel it through her hand. 'Thanks…" floated through their connection from her to him.

He felt guilt descend on him like a blanket. Now, he'd done it; he'd gone and hurt her feelings with malicious words of pessimism.

Draco almost thought she'd get up and leave; but no, this was Hermione Granger. She was the girl who knew his situation and still wanted to help. The loyal friend who stuck by everyone, even those that endangered her life. She didn't deserve harsh words but admiration.

"I'm sorry, Mione," he drawled out suddenly very tired, "That was very wrong of me."

"No, that's alright," she consoled warmly. She gently picked up his head, so he'd face her. Her hands remained soft on either said of his face. "Do what you want to do, Draco. Do what you think is best."

"I don't know what to do, to do so." He sighed, enjoying the coolness of her hands.

"Well, let's say you leave it til morning?" she coaxed, "You're a bit overloaded right now."

His eyes drooped lazily and his face was the most relaxed she had ever seen it.

'That sounds good,' she heard his inner voice approve. She couldn't help but smile. He was so childlike and gentle at this moment. She felt motherly instincts she didn't think she'd ever have with him kicking in. She let him lay back on the couch. Her hand brushed gently through his tousled hair; she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

She leaned back quickly; afraid of the line she just about crossed. The line that kept her convinced that she felt for him just like she felt for Harry and Ron. But she knew that that line was thinning at every second she spent with him. It was time for her to go.

But someone must have disagreed, for when she turned to leave a large, warm hand caught her wrist. She was spun around by a gentle tug on her arm, causing her to fall flush against Draco's body. Her nose was centimeters from his, their warm breaths mingled.

The dreariness she saw in him before seemed to be long gone. It was replaced by a smoldering look. Their eyes locked in a soul-searching gaze, silver met gold. But this time, the gold was molten as well.

Attentively Draco leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Again, he watched her eyes. And as he realized that she wasn't backing away, he made his decision.

He kissed her once more. His lips encased her bottom lip, massaging it tenderly. Hermione let out a soft sigh, as she relaxed into him. She became a part of the kiss with an easy acceptance that shocked him. It was she who deepened the kiss; she who parted her lips and made tantalizing tongue contact. As it grew, Draco wrapped his arms tightly around her waist; not a thought of air could fit between the two.

He broke away from the kiss only to get to her neck. A quiet moan escaped Hermione's parted lips as he gently lipped her collarbone. Her warm breath flirted shamelessly with his ear, sending shivers down his spine. His desire was growing more intense. He knew it was time to pull back.

He slowly sat up, changing Hermione's position as he went. He looked her sheepishly in the eyes.

"Uh…Hermione, I think I love you…" he said. He felt the heat rising to his cheeks that had to have been the lamest thing he could have said. A mental slap was imminent.

But she smiled the loveliest smile he had ever seen, at his words. "And I believe those feelings are mutual," she replied softly.

He was currently the happiest man alive! All thoughts of the evil men in his life were swept away for the night.

As he got up to go to bed, he grasped her hand in his and led her to his room. Tonight they would sleep in his bed.

He tucked her in beside him with a happy grin. "Goodnight, Mione," he said as he kissed the tip of her nose. But he already knew that she had fallen asleep. Her soft breathing spoke of a peaceful, dreamless night. It was his lullaby.


End file.
